U.S. patent application number 17/307586 was filed with the patent office on 2021-08-19 for automatic control of heating and cooling of a vehicle seating assembly pursuant to predictive modeling that recalibrates based on occupant manual control.
This patent application is currently assigned to Ford Global Technologies, LLC. The applicant listed for this patent is Ford Global Technologies, LLC. Invention is credited to William G. Herbert, Mohan John, Elizabeth Anne Manwell, David Ostrowski.
Application Number | 20210252937 17/307586 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 1000005556850 |
Filed Date | 2021-08-19 |
United States Patent
Application |
20210252937 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Ostrowski; David ; et
al. |
August 19, 2021 |
AUTOMATIC CONTROL OF HEATING AND COOLING OF A VEHICLE SEATING
ASSEMBLY PURSUANT TO PREDICTIVE MODELING THAT RECALIBRATES BASED ON
OCCUPANT MANUAL CONTROL
Abstract
A method of controlling a temperature altering element within a
seating assembly of a vehicle comprising: presenting a vehicle
including a seating assembly including a temperature altering
element, a controller in communication with the temperature
altering element, the controller including a Pre-established
Predictive Activation Model setting forth rules governing the
activation of the temperature altering element as a function of
data relating to Certain Identifiable Conditions, and a user
interface configured to allow the temperature altering element to
be manually activated or deactivated; occupying the seating
assembly with a first occupant; collecting data relating to the
Certain Identifiable Conditions while the first occupant is
occupying the seating assembly; determining, by comparing the
collected data to the rules of the Pre-established Predictive
Activation Model, whether the collected data satisfies the rules of
the Pre-established Predictive Activation Model so as to activate
the temperature altering element; and activating the temperature
altering element.
Inventors: |
Ostrowski; David;
(Northville, MI) ; Manwell; Elizabeth Anne;
(Canton, MI) ; Herbert; William G.; (Bloomfield
Hills, MI) ; John; Mohan; (Dearborn, MI) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
Ford Global Technologies, LLC |
Dearborn |
MI |
US |
|
|
Assignee: |
Ford Global Technologies,
LLC
Dearborn
MI
|
Family ID: |
1000005556850 |
Appl. No.: |
17/307586 |
Filed: |
May 4, 2021 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
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16670010 |
Oct 31, 2019 |
11027590 |
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17307586 |
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15836245 |
Dec 8, 2017 |
10518602 |
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16670010 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
1/1 |
Current CPC
Class: |
G06N 5/025 20130101;
B60N 2/56 20130101; B60H 1/0073 20190501; B60H 1/00742 20130101;
G06F 17/18 20130101; B60K 2370/11 20190501; B60H 1/00985 20130101;
B60H 2001/3255 20130101; B60H 2001/224 20130101; B60H 1/00878
20130101; B60R 21/0154 20141001; B60Y 2400/302 20130101; B60H
1/00764 20130101; B60H 1/00807 20130101; B60H 1/00285 20130101;
B60H 1/00964 20130101; B60H 2001/2246 20130101 |
International
Class: |
B60H 1/00 20060101
B60H001/00; B60R 21/015 20060101 B60R021/015; G06F 17/18 20060101
G06F017/18; G06N 5/02 20060101 G06N005/02; B60N 2/56 20060101
B60N002/56 |
Claims
1. A method of controlling a temperature altering element within a
seating assembly of a vehicle comprising: collecting data relating
to Certain Identifiable Conditions while an occupant is occupying a
seating assembly of a vehicle, the seating assembly comprising a
temperature altering element configured to impart heating or
cooling to the occupant of the seating assembly within which the
temperature altering element is disposed, and the vehicle further
comprising: a controller in communication with the temperature
altering element, the controller comprising a plurality of
Pre-established Predictive Activation Models, each setting forth
different rules governing activation of the temperature altering
element as a function of data relating to the Certain Identifiable
Conditions; selecting one of the plurality of Pre-established
Predictive Activation Models as a function of the data relating to
the Certain Identifiable Conditions collected during the collecting
step; and automatically activating the temperature altering element
when the data collected during the collecting step satisfies the
rules of the Pre-established Predictive Activation Model that was
selected during the selecting step.
2. The method of claim 1, wherein selecting one of the plurality of
Pre-established Predictive Activation Model as a function of the
data relating to the Certain Identifiable Conditions collected
during the collecting step comprises selecting one of the plurality
of Pre-established Predictive Activation Models as a function of
data relating to one or more of: (a) an average trip length; (b) a
standard deviation of trip length; (c) an average number of trips
per unit of time; (d) a number of trips shorter than a
predetermined distance; (e) a distance driven on a highway; (f) a
distance driven not on a highway; and (g) a ratio of (e) to
(f).
3. The method of claim 2, wherein selecting one of the plurality of
Pre-established Predictive Activation Models as a function of the
data relating to the Certain Identifiable Conditions collected
during the collecting step comprises selecting one of the plurality
of Pre-established Predictive Activation Models as a function of
data relating to the ratio of distance driven on a highway to the
distance driven not on a highway.
4. The method of claim 1, wherein selecting one of the plurality of
Pre-established Predictive Activation Model as a function of the
data relating to the Certain Identifiable Conditions collected
during the collecting step comprises selecting one of the plurality
of Pre-established Predictive Activation Models as a function of
data relating to one or more of: (a) torque; (b) vehicle speed; (c)
engine revolutions per minute; (d) fuel economy; and (e) how often
the vehicle moved without accelerating or decelerating through
braking.
5. The method of claim 1 further comprising: before selecting one
of the plurality of Pre-established Predictive Activation Models as
a function of the data relating to the Certain Identifiable
Conditions collected during the collecting step, automatically
activating the temperature altering element when the data relating
to the Certain Identifiable Conditions collected during the
collecting step satisfies the rules of a predetermined default
Pre-established Predictive Activation Model for activation of the
temperature altering element.
6. The method of claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of
Pre-established Predictive Activation Models was generated from a
different segmented portion of data from a larger data set
generated from other vehicles.
7. The method of claim 6, wherein each of the plurality of
Pre-established Predictive Activation Models was generated pursuant
to a classification and regression tree analysis of the different
segmented portion of data.
8. The method of claim 1 further comprising: segmenting data from a
larger data set generated from other vehicles into different
segmented portions of the data; and generating the plurality of
Pre-established Predictive Activation Models, each different
Pre-Established Predictive Activation Model generated from one of
the different segmented portions of the data.
9. The method of claim 1, wherein segmenting data from the larger
data set generated from other vehicles comprises utilizing a
k-means cluster algorithm to segment the data from the larger data
set.
10. The method of claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of
Pre-established Predictive Activation Models was generated as a
function of data related to the Certain Identifiable Conditions
existing when operators of the other vehicles manually activated a
temperature altering element of a seating assembly upon which the
operators were sitting via a user interface.
11. The method of claim 1, wherein the temperature altering element
is configured to impart heating to the occupant of the seating
assembly.
12. The method of claim 1, wherein the temperature altering element
is configured to impart cooling to the occupant of the seating
assembly.
13. The method of claim 1, wherein during the collecting step, it
is determined that the occupant is primarily a highway driver; and
the Pre-Established Predictive Activation Model chosen during the
selecting step is a consequence of the occupant being determined to
be primarily a highway driver.
14. The method of claim 1, wherein during the collecting step, it
is determined that the occupant is primarily a city driver; and the
Pre-Established Predictive Activation Model chosen during the
selecting step is a consequence of the occupant being determined to
be primarily a city driver.
15. A vehicle comprising: a seating assembly; a temperature
altering element within the seating assembly, the temperature
altering element being configured to impart heating or cooling to
an occupant of the seating assembly within which the temperature
altering element is disposed; and a controller in communication
with the temperature altering element and one or more data sources
that generate data, the controller comprising a plurality of
Pre-established Predictive Activation Models, each setting forth
different rules governing activation of the temperature altering
element as a function of data that the one or more data sources
generate; wherein, the controller determines which of the plurality
of Pre-established Predictive Activation Models to utilize to
govern activation of the temperature altering element also as a
function of data that the one or more data sources generate.
16. The vehicle of claim 15, wherein the controller determines
which of the plurality of Pre-established Predictive Activation
Models to utilize to govern activation of the temperature altering
element as a function of data relating to one or more of: (a) an
average trip length; (b) a standard deviation of trip length; (c)
an average number of trips per unit of time; (d) a number of trips
shorter than a predetermined distance; (e) a distance driven on a
highway; (f) a distance driven not on a highway; and (g) a ratio of
(e) to (f).
17. The vehicle of claim 15, wherein the controller determines
which of the plurality of Pre-established Predictive Activation
Models to utilize to govern activation of the temperature altering
element as a function of data relating to one or more of: (a)
torque; (b) vehicle speed; (c) engine revolutions per minute; (d)
fuel economy; and (e) how often the vehicle moved without
accelerating or decelerating through braking.
18. The vehicle of claim 15, wherein the controller further
comprises a default Pre-established Predictive Activation Model
setting forth rules governing activation of the temperature
altering element as a function of data that the one or more data
sources generate, and the controller utilizes the default
Pre-established Predictive Activation Model to govern activation of
the temperature altering element before the controller determines
which of the plurality of Pre-established Predictive Activation
Models to utilize.
19. The vehicle of claim 18, wherein the default Pre-established
Predictive Activation Model is one of the plurality of
Pre-established Predictive Activation Models.
20. The vehicle of claim 15, wherein the plurality of
Pre-established Predictive Activation Models was generated as a
function of data obtained from other vehicles.
Description
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION
[0001] This application is a divisional of and claims priority to
U.S. patent application Ser. No. 16/670,010, filed on Oct. 31,
2019, entitled "AUTOMATIC CONTROL OF HEATING AND COOLING OF A
VEHICLE SEATING ASSEMBLY PURSUANT TO PREDICTIVE MODELING THAT
RECALIBRATES BASED ON OCCUPANT MANUAL CONTROL", which is a
continuation of and claims priority to U.S. patent application Ser.
No. 15/836,245, filed on Dec. 8, 2017, (now U.S. Pat. No.
10,518,602, issued Dec. 31, 2019) entitled "AUTOMATIC CONTROL OF
HEATING AND COOLING OF A VEHICLE SEATING ASSEMBLY PURSUANT TO
PREDICTIVE MODELING THAT RECALIBRATES BASED ON OCCUPANT MANUAL
CONTROL," the contents of which are relied upon and incorporated
herein by reference in their entireties.
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0002] The present invention generally relates to the heating and
cooling of a seating assembly of a vehicle.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0003] A vehicle typically includes a seating assembly designated
for an operator occupant of the vehicle. The seating assembly
sometimes includes a temperature altering element that can
selectively provide heat to or take away heat from (i.e., cool) the
seating assembly, which increases the comfort of the occupant of
the seating assembly. The occupant of the seating assembly
typically has to activate and deactivate manually, through a user
interface, the temperature altering element.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0004] According to an aspect of the present invention, a method of
controlling a temperature altering element within a seating
assembly of a vehicle comprises: presenting a vehicle comprising a
seating assembly including a temperature altering element, a
controller in communication with the temperature altering element,
the controller including a Pre-established Predictive Activation
Model setting forth rules governing the activation of the
temperature altering element as a function of data relating to
Certain Identifiable Conditions, and a user interface configured to
allow the temperature altering element to be manually activated or
deactivated; occupying the seating assembly with a first occupant;
collecting data relating to the Certain Identifiable Conditions
while the first occupant is occupying the seating assembly;
determining, by comparing the collected data to the rules of the
Pre-established Predictive Activation Model, whether the collected
data satisfies the rules of the Pre-established Predictive
Activation Model so as to initially automatically activate the
temperature altering element; and automatically activating the
temperature altering element.
[0005] Embodiments of this aspect of the invention can include any
one or a combination of the following features: [0006] the
Pre-established Predictive Activation Model was formed pursuant to
a classification and regression tree analysis of input data related
to the Certain Identifiable Conditions collected from other
operators of other vehicles; [0007] the Pre-established Predictive
Activation Model establishes rules that are a function of at least
the following Certain Identifiable Conditions: ambient temperature;
temperature set point for an interior of the vehicle; the time of
day; whether the occupant has requested the vehicle to heat the
interior with a blower at a certain blower speed; the temperature
of the interior of the vehicle; and the temperature differential
between the ambient temperature and the in-vehicle temperature;
[0008] the Pre-established Predictive Activation Model establishes
rules that are a function of at least the following Certain
Identifiable Conditions: whether the windshield wipers have been
activated; whether air conditioning has been activated; temperature
set point for an interior of the vehicle; the ambient temperature;
level at which the vehicle's climate control system is blowing air;
engine speed; vehicle speed; and in-vehicle temperature; [0009] the
Pre-established Predictive Activation Model establishes rules that
are a function of at least the following Certain Identifiable
Conditions: the in-vehicle temperature; the ambient temperature;
level at which the vehicle's climate control system is blowing air;
whether a rear window defrost has been activated; vehicle speed;
whether air conditioning has been activated; engine speed; and
whether the windshield wipers have been activated; [0010] when the
ambient temperature is greater than a certain temperature, the
controller automatically activates the temperature altering element
pursuant to the Pre-established Predictive Activation Model as a
function of data relating to at least one other Certain
Identifiable Condition not including the ambient temperature;
[0011] when the ambient temperature is less than the certain
temperature, the controller automatically activates the temperature
altering element pursuant to the Pre-established Predictive
Activation Model as a function of data relating to at least one
other Certain Identifiable Condition not including the ambient
temperature; [0012] when the windshield wipers have been activated,
the controller does not automatically activate the temperature
altering element pursuant to the Pre-established Predictive
Activation Model; [0013] when the windshield wipers have not been
activated, the controller automatically activates the temperature
altering element pursuant to the Pre-established Predictive
Activation Model as a function of data relating to at least one
other Certain Identifiable Condition not including whether the
windshield wipers have been activated; [0014] when the in-vehicle
temperature is less than a certain temperature, the controller does
not automatically activate the temperature altering element to
impart cooling pursuant to the Pre-established Predictive
Activation Model; [0015] when the in-vehicle temperature is greater
than the certain temperature, the controller automatically
activates the temperature altering element to impart cooling
pursuant to the Pre-established Predictive Activation Model as a
function of data; [0016] the Pre-established Predictive Activation
Model establishes rules for activation of the temperature altering
element to provide cooling and the rules are a function of data
related to at least the following Certain Identifiable Conditions:
ambient temperature; the in-vehicle temperature; whether a rear
window defrost has been activated; and a temperature set point for
an interior of the vehicle; [0017] when the ambient temperature is
less than a certain temperature and the in-vehicle temperature is
greater than another certain temperature, the controller
automatically activates the temperature altering element to impart
cooling pursuant to the rules of the Pre-established Predictive
Activation Model as a function of data relating to at least one
other certain identifiable condition including vehicle speed;
[0018] when the ambient temperature is greater than the certain
temperature, the controller automatically activates the temperature
altering element to impart cooling pursuant to the rules of the
Pre-established Predictive Activation Model as a function of data
relating to at least one other certain identifiable condition;
[0019] automatically deactivating the temperature altering element
pursuant to the Pre-established Predictive Activation Model, after
initially automatically activating the temperature altering element
pursuant to the Pre-established Predictive Activation Model, if the
collected data relating to the Certain Identifiable Conditions
collected after initially automatically activating the temperature
altering element satisfy the rules of the Pre-established
Predictive Activation Model for deactivation of the temperature
altering element; [0020] automatically reactivating the temperature
altering element pursuant to the Pre-established Predictive
Activation Model, after automatically deactivating the temperature
altering element pursuant to the Pre-established Predictive
Activation Model, if the collected data relating to the Certain
Identifiable Conditions collected after deactivating the
temperature altering element again satisfy the rules for activation
pursuant to the Pre-established Predictive Activation Model; [0021]
the occupant of the seating assembly manually deactivating the
temperature altering element via the user interface; [0022] upon
the occupant manually deactivating the temperature altering element
via the user interface, recalibrating the Pre-established
Predictive Activation Model into a new predictive activation model
accounting for the collected data relative to the Certain
Identifiable Conditions existing when the occupant manually
deactivated the temperature altering element and establishing new
rules for activation and/or deactivation of the temperature
altering element; [0023] the occupant manually activating the
temperature altering element via the user interface; [0024] upon
the occupant manually activating the temperature altering element
via the user interface, recalibrating the new predictive activation
model into a newer predictive activation model accounting for the
collected data relative to the Certain Identifiable Conditions
existing when the occupant manually activated the temperature
altering element and establishing new rules for activation and/or
deactivation of the temperature altering element; [0025] the
temperature altering element being adjustable to several different
levels of temperature altering; [0026] the controller further
including a Pre-established Predictive Level Model establishing
rules governing which level of the several different levels of
temperature altering the controller will initially automatically
set for the temperature altering element, the rules of the
Pre-established Predictive Level Model being a function of one or
more of the Certain Identifiable Conditions; [0027] the user
interface further configured to allow the occupant to select
manually the level of the several different levels of temperature
altering; [0028] determining, by comparing the collected data to
the rules of the Pre-established Predictive Level Model, which
level of the several different levels of temperature altering the
controller will initially automatically set for the temperature
altering element; [0029] initially automatically setting the
temperature altering element to the determined level; [0030] the
Pre-established Predictive Level Model is formed pursuant to a
multilayer perceptron classifier analysis of input data relating to
the Certain Identifiable Conditions collected from other vehicles;
[0031] the occupant of the seating assembly manually changing the
level of temperature altering for the temperature altering element
via the user interface; [0032] upon the occupant manually changing
the level of temperature altering for the temperature altering
element via the user interface, recalibrating the Pre-established
Predictive Level Model into a new predictive level model accounting
for the collected data relative to the Certain Identifiable
Conditions existing when the occupant manually changed the level of
temperature altering and establishing new rules governing the level
of temperature altering for the temperature altering element when
the temperature altering element is automatically activated; [0033]
automatically deactivating the temperature altering element; [0034]
automatically reactivating the temperature altering element; [0035]
determining, by comparing the collected data to the rules of the
new predictive level model, which level of the several different
levels of temperature altering the controller will initially
automatically set for the temperature altering element; [0036]
automatically setting the temperature altering element to the
determined level; [0037] removing the occupant from the seating
assembly; [0038] occupying the seating assembly with a second
occupant; [0039] recognizing that the second occupant is different
than the occupant; [0040] collecting data relative to the
identifiable conditions while the second occupant is occupying the
seating assembly; [0041] determining, by comparing the only the
data collected while the second occupant is occupying the seating
assembly, and not the data collected with the occupant was
occupying the seating assembly, to the rules of the Pre-established
Predictive Activation Model, whether data collected satisfy the
rules of the Pre-established Predictive Activation Model so as to
initially automatically activate the temperature altering element;
and [0042] initially automatically activating the temperature
altering element while the second occupant is occupying the seating
assembly.
[0043] These and other aspects, objects, and features of the
present invention will be understood and appreciated by those
skilled in the art upon studying the following specification,
claims, and appended drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0044] In the drawings:
[0045] FIG. 1 is a side overhead view of an interior of a vehicle,
illustrating a first seating assembly that includes a temperature
altering element to provide selective heating or cooling, a
controller, and a user interface;
[0046] FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram of the controller of FIG. 1,
illustrating that the controller accepts input from various data
sources and the user interface and uses these input sources to
automatically control the activation/deactivation of the
temperature altering element and the level at which the temperature
altering element is altering temperature;
[0047] FIG. 3A is a front view of an exemplary user interface of
FIG. 1, illustrating a touch screen display providing notification
that the controller has automatically activated the temperature
altering element and the level of temperature altering, and
providing a touchable "OFF" button allowing an occupant of the
first seating assembly to manually deactivate the temperature
altering element;
[0048] FIG. 3B is a front view of the exemplary user interface of
FIG. 1, illustrating the touch screen display providing
notification that the controller has not automatically activated
the temperature altering element and providing a touchable "ON"
button allowing the occupant of the first seating assembly to
manually activate the temperature altering element;
[0049] FIG. 4 is a process diagram illustrating the controller,
after the occupant occupies the first seating assembly, collecting
(accepting as input) data from the various data sources relating to
Certain Identifiable Conditions, comparing the data to rules
established by a Pre-established Predictive Activation Model
governing the activation and deactivation of the temperature
altering element, and either activating the temperature altering
element or not activating/deactivating the temperature altering
element according to the rules;
[0050] FIG. 5 is a schematic diagram illustrating the rules of a
first example Pre-established Predictive Activation Model (for
heating) providing the data relating to the Certain Identifiable
Conditions that must exist for the controller to automatically
activate the temperature altering element to impart heat and to not
activate/automatically deactivate the temperature altering
element;
[0051] FIGS. 6A and 6B are schematic diagrams illustrating the
rules of a second example Pre-established Predictive Activation
Model (again for heating) providing the data relating to the
Certain Identifiable Conditions that must exist for the controller
to automatically activate the temperature altering element to
impart heat and to not activate/automatically deactivate the
temperature altering element; and
[0052] FIGS. 7A and 7B are schematic diagrams illustrating the
rules of a third example Pre-established Predictive Activation
Model (this time for cooling) providing the data relating to the
Certain Identifiable Conditions that must exist for the controller
to automatically activate the temperature altering element to
impart cooling and to not activate/automatically deactivate the
temperature altering element.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0053] For purposes of description herein, the term "rearward"
shall relate to the disclosure as oriented in FIG. 1. However, it
is to be understood that the disclosure may assume various
alternative orientations, except where expressly specified to the
contrary. It is also to be understood that the specific devices and
processes illustrated in the attached drawings, and described in
the following specification are simply exemplary embodiments of the
inventive concepts defined in the appended claims. Hence, specific
dimensions and other physical characteristics relating to the
embodiments disclosed herein are not to be considered as limiting,
unless the claims expressly state otherwise.
[0054] Referring to FIG. 1, a vehicle 10 includes an interior 12. A
first seating assembly 14 and a second seating assembly 16 are
disposed in the interior 12 and form a first row of seating 18. The
vehicle 10 can further include a second row of seating 20 disposed
rearward for the first row of seating 18, a third row of seating 22
disposed rearward of the second row of seating 20, and so on. The
first seating assembly 14 can be designated for an occupant who
operates the vehicle 10. The second seating assembly 16 can be
designated for an occupant who is a passenger of the vehicle 10. As
the second seating assembly 16, the second row of seating 20, and
third row of seating 22, can be identical to the first seating
assembly 14 for purposes of this disclosure, only the first seating
assembly 14 will be particularly discussed herein.
[0055] The first seating assembly 14 includes a temperature
altering element 24. The temperature altering element 24 can be any
element that increases or decreases the temperature of the first
seating assembly 14 upon command. The temperature altering element
24 can be a heating mechanism for imparting heat such as wires
resisting electrical current and producing heat, a cooling
mechanism that removes heat (i.e., imparts cooling) such as cooled
air, or a Peltier thermoelectric device that is able to produce
either cooling or heating. The first seating assembly 14 can
include a temperature altering element 24 dedicated to heating and
another temperature altering element 24 dedicated to cooling. The
temperature altering element 24 can be adjustable to provide
several different levels of temperature altering. For example, the
temperature altering element 24 can provide temperature altering of
comparatively high, medium, or low levels.
[0056] Referring now also to FIG. 2, the vehicle 10 further
includes a controller 26. The controller 26 is in communication
with the temperature altering element 24. The controller 26
controls whether the temperature altering element 24 is activated
(i.e., providing heat or providing cooling) and how aggressively
(i.e., what level, such as high, medium, or low) the temperature
altering element 24 is altering temperature. The controller 26 can
include a microprocessor 28 to execute programs, such as those used
to control the temperature altering element 24, stored in memory
30.
[0057] The controller 26 includes a Pre-established Predictive
Activation Model for heating and/or a Pre-established Predictive
Activation Model for cooling establishing rules that govern whether
the controller 26 will initially automatically activate the
temperature altering element 24 to impart heat or impart cooling,
respectively, to the first seating assembly 14 without the input or
instruction of the occupant of the first seating assembly 14. The
Pre-established Predictive Activation Model(s) can be stored in the
memory 30. The Pre-established Predictive Activation Models are
formed as a consequence of analyzing data collected from occupants
of seating assemblies of other vehicles (hereinafter, "Test
Vehicles"). The general analysis concerns the question of what
conditions existed when occupants of seating assemblies of the Test
Vehicles activated the temperature altering element of those
seating assemblies to impart heat and to impart cooling. The
identification of those conditions can be utilized to predict when
the occupant of the first seating assembly 14 would desire to have
the temperature altering element 24 of the first seating assembly
14 activated to impart heat (or to impart cooling) and then
automatically activate the temperature altering element 24 to do so
without the occupant manually instructing the controller 26 to
activate the temperature altering element 24. In other words, the
Pre-established Predictive Activation Model is formed pursuant to
an analysis of input data collected from the Test Vehicles relating
to numerous conditions (hereinafter, "Certain Identifiable
Conditions"). The Pre-established Predictive Activation Model is a
function of those Certain Identifiable Conditions. The
Pre-established Predictive Activation Model and the Certain
Identifiable Conditions are discussed in greater detail below.
[0058] The controller 26 further includes a Pre-established
Predictive Level Model for heating and/or a Pre-established
Predictive Level Model for cooling stored in memory 30. The
Pre-established Predictive Level Models establish rules governing
which level of the several different levels of temperature altering
the controller 26 will initially automatically set for the
temperature altering element 24. For example, the Pre-established
Predictive Level Model for heating establishes rules governing
which level of heating (i.e., how aggressive of heating) the
controller 26 will automatically set for the temperature altering
element 24 when and while the controller 26 automatically activates
the temperature altering element 24 to impart heat. Likewise, the
Pre-established Predictive Level Model for cooling establishes
rules governing which level of cooling (i.e., how aggressive of
cooling) the controller 26 will automatically set for the
temperature altering element 24 when and while the controller 26
automatically activates the temperature altering element 24 to
impart cooling. The rules of the Pre-established Predictive Level
Model(s) are a function of the Certain Identifiable Conditions. The
Pre-established Predictive Level Model likewise will be discussed
further below.
[0059] The controller 26 receives input from one or more data
sources 46 within the vehicle 10 concerning the Certain
Identifiable Conditions. The one or more data sources 46 can be
sensors and/or settings, among other things. As discussed further
below, the controller 26 utilizes data concerning the Certain
Identifiable Conditions to control the temperature altering element
24 according to the Pre-established Predictive Model and the second
Pre-established Predictive Model (and subsequent refinements
thereof).
[0060] Referring now also to FIGS. 3A and 3B, the vehicle 10
further includes a user interface 32 in communication with the
controller 26. The user interface 32 can be located in the vehicle
10 such that the occupant of the first seating assembly 14 can
interact with the user interface 32. For example, the user
interface 32 can be a touch screen display 34, a knob, switch,
and/or a voice-manipulable user interface, among other things. The
user interface 32 is configured to allow the occupant to manually
activate the temperature altering element 24 if the controller 26
has not activated the temperature altering element 24 to impart
heating or cooling as the occupant desires. In addition, the user
interface 32 is configured to manually deactivate the temperature
altering element 24 if the controller 26 has activated the
temperature altering element 24 to impart heating or cooling
contrary to the occupant's desires. For example, the user interface
32 could be the touch screen display 34 with an option (e.g., a
button 36 labeled "OFF") allowing the occupant of the first seating
assembly 14 to deactivate the temperature altering element 24 of
the first seating assembly 14 that the controller 26 has
automatically activated according to the Pre-established Predictive
Activation Model to impart heat. If the occupant presses the OFF
button 36, the controller 26 accepts the interaction as input and
deactivates the temperature altering element 24 from imparting
heat. The previous scenario could likewise apply if the controller
26 has automatically activated the temperature altering element 24
pursuant to Pre-established Predictive Activation Model to impart
cooling. Similarly, the touch screen display 34 can include an
option (e.g., a button 44 labeled "ON") allowing the occupant of
the first seating assembly 14 to activate the temperature altering
element 24 of the first seating assembly 14 that the controller 26
has not automatically activated following the Pre-established
Predictive Activation Model(s). If the occupant presses the button
44 labeled "ON," the controller 26 accepts the interaction as input
and activates the temperature altering element 24. For example, if
the occupant desires the temperature altering element 24 to impart
heat to the first seating assembly 14 but the controller 26 has not
automatically caused the temperature altering element 24 to do so
pursuant to the Pre-established Predictive Activation Model for
cooling, then the occupant could navigate to the touch screen
display 34 to a cooling option screen and press the button 44
labeled "ON," and the controller 26 then activates the temperature
altering element 24 to impart cooling.
[0061] In addition, the user interface 32 is configured to allow
the occupant of the first seating assembly 14 to manually select
the level of the several different levels of temperature altering.
For example, the touch screen display 34 can have an option
allowing the occupant of the first seating assembly 14 to manually
select a relatively high level of temperature altering (e.g., a
button 38 labeled "HIGH"), a relatively low level of temperature
altering (e.g., a button 42 labeled "LOW"), or a level of
temperature altering between high and low levels (e.g., a button 40
labeled "MEDIUM"). The touch screen display options might be "3,"
"2," and "1" instead of "HIGH," "MEDIUM," and "LOW," respectively.
If the occupant presses one of the buttons 38, 40, 42, the
controller 26 accepts the interaction as input and adjusts the
level of the temperature altering element 24 accordingly,
overriding the level at which the controller 26 automatically set
for the temperature altering element 24 pursuant to the
Pre-established Predictive Level Model. The occupant's interaction
with the user interface 32 in this manner to override the
controller's 26 automatic control of the temperature altering
element 24 affects the controller's 26 subsequent automatic control
thereof, as discussed in greater detail below.
[0062] Referring now to FIG. 4, the above vehicle 10, including the
first seating assembly 14 with the temperature altering element 24,
the controller 26, and the user interface 32 can be utilized in
performing a novel method of controlling the temperature altering
element 24. The novel method (at step 48) includes occupying the
first seating assembly 14 with an occupant, (at step 50) collecting
data relating to the Certain Identifiable Conditions (from data
sources 46) while the occupant is occupying the first seating
assembly 14, (at step 52) determining (by comparing the collected
data to the rules of the Pre-established Predictive Activation
Model governing activation) whether the collected data satisfies
the rules of the Pre-established Predictive Activation Model so as
to initially automatically activate the temperature altering
element 24, and, if so, (at step 54) initially automatically
activating the temperature altering element 24. If comparing the
collected data to the Pre-established Predictive Activation Model
reveals that the rules for activation of the temperature altering
element 24 are not satisfied, then the method can proceed back to
step 50 and the data collection continues. Even if the collected
data satisfies the rules of the Pre-established Predictive
Activation Model for activation of the temperature altering element
24, the method can further include proceeding back to step 50 to
continue data collection and subsequently to determine whether the
collected data satisfies the rules of the Pre-established
Predictive Activation Model for deactivation of the temperature
altering element 24, resulting in deactivation of the temperature
altering element 24 at step 56.
[0063] We now further discuss the Test Vehicles and the data
collected therefrom relating to the Certain Identifiable
Conditions, analysis of which data forms the pre Pre-established
Predictive Activation Model(s) and the Pre-established Predictive
Level Model(s) (and subsequent iterations thereof). Data was
collected from over 700 Test Vehicles. The data was narrowed down
to data related to less than sixty conditions forming the Certain
Identifiable Conditions, which were thought to have some relation
to the decision of occupants whether to activate the temperature
altering element 24 and at what level (how aggressively) the
temperature altering element 24 would alter temperature. Those
Certain Identifiable Conditions include: whether automatic
windshield wipers have been activated, i.e., are wiping, because of
sensed rain or otherwise ("Smart_Wiper_Motor_Stat"); front
passenger side temperature set point ("Front_Rt_Temp_Setpt"); front
operator side temperature set point ("Front_Left_Temp_Setpt")
(these last two temperature set points refer to the set point
temperature of the blown air directed toward the first seating
assembly 14 and the second seating assembly 16, respectively);
whether a rear window defrost has been activated
("Overriding_ModeReq," "Rear_Defrost_Soft_Bttn_Stt"); level at
which the vehicle's climate control system is blowing air
("Front_Rear_Blower_Req"); outside/ambient temperature
("AirAmb_Te_ActlFilt," "AirAmb_Te_ActlFilt_UB," "AirAmb_Te_Actl,"
"AirAmb_Te_Actl_UB"); the temperature of the interior of the
vehicle ("InCarTemp," "InCarTempQF"); engine speed (such as
revolutions per minute) ("EngAout_N_Actl," "EngAout_N_Actl_UB");
whether the operator has activated an interior air recirculation
function ("Recirc_Request"); and the time of the day, which may be
expressed as the hour of the day ("hour"). Other of the Certain
Identifiable Conditions include: whether the operator has requested
that the steering wheel be heated ("CC_HtdStrWhl_Req_Binary,"
"CC_HtdStrWhl_Req"); whether the operator has activated a front
window defrost function ("Front_Defrost_Sft_Btn_Stt"); whether air
conditioning has been activated ("AC_Request"); vehicle 10 speed
("Veh_V_ActlEng_UB," "Veh_V_ActlEng"); whether the passenger has
activated a temperature altering element 24 for the second seating
assembly 16, the passenger seating assembly,
("Pass_Fr_Cond_Seat_Req"); and, if so, what level
("Pass_Fr_Cond_Seat_Lvl"). Still other Certain Identifiable
Conditions can include: the status of defrost controls generally
("Default_Defrost_State"); whether the operator has activated a
function to defrost the side rearview mirrors
("RrDefrost_HtdMirrReq"); the status of the defrosting of the side
rearview mirrors ("RrDefrost_HtdMirrState"); whether the operator
has manually overridden an automatic defrost function of the side
rearview mirrors ("Mirror_Manual_Override"); positioning of the
passenger mirrors horizontally and vertically
("Pass_Mirror_Sw_UD_Stat" and "Pass_Mirror_Sw_LR_Stat"); whether a
passenger in the second row of seating 20, passenger side, has
activated a temperature altering element ("Pass_Rr_Cond_Seat_Req")
and, if so, what level ("Pass_Rr_Cond_Seat_Lvl"); whether a
passenger in the second row of seating 20, driver side, has
activated a temperature altering element ("Drvr_Rr_Cond_Seat_Req").
Still other Certain Identifiable Conditions related to time can
include minute, second, date, and day of the week (Monday, Tuesday,
etc.), and season. Still other Certain Identifiable Conditions
include sunlight level, and trip-related statistics, such as trip
length, trip frequency, trip characterization (such as commute
versus leisure), GPS positioning (such as latitude and longitude),
road grade, altitude, city versus country driving, highway versus
city road, torque, braking, and idle time.
[0064] The identifiers above noted in quotations within parentheses
are provided to help decipher the example Pre-established
Predictive Activation Models reproduced below. Several identifiers
may relate to the same concept. For example, "AirAmb_Te_ActlFilt,"
"AirAmb_Te_ActlFilt_UB," "AirAmb_Te_Actl," and "AirAmb_Te_Actl_UB"
all relate to the temperature of the ambient air. Before analyzing
the data relating to the Certain Identifiable Conditions to
generate the Pre-established Predictive Activation Model(s) and
the
[0065] Pre-established Predictive Level Model(s), it may be
advantageous to consolidate the several identifiers into one
identifier. For example, data with the identifier
"AirAmb_Te_Act_UB" may essentially be duplication of
"AirAmb_Te_Act" and may be removed entirely from the data before
analyzing to generate the Pre-established Predictive Activation
Model(s) and the Pre-established Predictive Level Model(s). As
another example, "AirAmb_Te_ActlFilt" may be a version of
"AirAmb_Te_Act" to filter out short term fluctuations in the data
with the "AirAmb_Te_Act" identifier. Therefore, only data with the
"AirAmb_Te_Act" can be included for the analysis to generate the
Pre-established Predictive Activation Model(s) and the
Pre-established Predictive Level Model(s).
[0066] In general, by analyzing data related to the Certain
Identifiable Conditions from the Test
[0067] Vehicles, it can be determined what the Certain Identifiable
Conditions were when an occupant of a Test Vehicle made the
decision to activate the temperature altering element 24 (both for
heating and for cooling of the first seating assembly 14) and made
the decision to deactivate the temperature altering element 24. The
Pre-established Predictive Activation Model(s) and the
Pre-established Predictive Level Model(s) can then be formed,
establishing rules as a function of the data related to the Certain
Identifiable Conditions that satisfied a certain percentage of
instances when the occupants of the Test Vehicles made the decision
to activate/deactivate the temperature altering element 24. In
other words, by modeling past occupant behavior demonstrated in the
Test Vehicles, the Pre-established Predictive Activation Model(s)
and the Pre-established Predictive Level Model(s) can be used to
predict future occupant desires in the vehicle 10 regarding
activation/deactivation of temperature altering element 24 (and
level of temperature altering) and automatically control the
activation/deactivation and level management thereof.
[0068] Some of the data can be processed before analyzing the data
to generate the Pre-established Predictive Activation Model(s) and
the Pre-established Predictive Level Model(s). For example, data
related to the Certain Identifiable Condition of whether automatic
windshield wipers are activated because of sensed rain can be
processed to reflect simply the wiper status as on or off (and
assigned a 1 value or a 0 value) ("Smart Wiper Motor Stat V1")
rather than initial data that includes a number between 0 and 1 to
reflect speed of the wipers ("Smart Wiper Motor Stat"). Data
related to other of the Certain Identifiable Conditions can be
processed in the same way to make the data more meaningfully
predictive for the Pre-established Predictive Activation Model(s)
and the Pre-established Predictive Level Model(s). As another
example, some of the Certain Identifiable Conditions can be derived
from other Certain Identifiable Conditions and further analyzed for
predictive power for the Pre-established Predictive Activation
Model(s) and the Pre-established Predictive Level Model(s). For
example, a Certain Identifiable Condition of whether the occupant
has requested the vehicle 10 to heat the interior 12 with low,
medium, or high blower speed when activating the temperature
altering element 24 ("turnOnHeat1," "turnOnHeat2," "turnOnHeat3")
was derived from the Certain Identifiable Conditions of the
operator side temperature setting ("Front_Left_Temp_Setpt") and the
level at which the vehicle's climate control system is blowing air
("Front_Rear_Blower_Req," "RCCM_Fr_Rr_Blower_Req"). As another
example, the Certain Identifiable Conditions of the ambient
temperature ("AirAmb_Te_Actl") and the in-vehicle 10 temperature
("InCarTemp") can be used to calculate the temperature differential
between the two temperatures ("tempDiff"). As another example, the
Certain Identifiable Condition of the hour of the day ("hour") can
be segmented, such as into whether it is morning ("isMorning"). As
yet another example, the Certain Identifiable Condition of the hour
of the day ("hour") or another time related Certain Identifiable
Condition can be segmented into the month ("month") or season, such
as whether it is spring, summer, fall, or winter ("isSummerx").
[0069] The Pre-established Predictive Activation Model(s) and the
Pre-established Predictive Level Model(s) can be derived from the
data related to the Certain Identifiable Conditions that were
collected from the Test Vehicles en masse. Alternatively, the data
related to the Certain Identifiable Conditions collected from the
Test Vehicles can be first segmented (such as into 3 segments,
hereinafter "Segments") based on criteria such as operator type
(such as a primarily city driver, a primarily highway driver, an
"aggressive" operator). Separate Pre-established Predictive
Activation Model(s) and the Pre-established Predictive Level
Model(s) can be derived for each Segment, that is, for each
operator type. The assumption is that one type of operator will
exhibit different patterns of activation the temperature altering
element 24 than another type of operator. For example, one
Pre-established Predictive Activation Model for heating can be
derived for one type of operator and another Pre-established
Predictive Activation Model for heating can be derived for another
type of operator, and so on. Criteria that can be utilized to
segment the data collected from the over 700 vehicles include
average trip length for each of the Test Vehicles, the standard
deviation of the trip length, the average number of trips per unit
of time such as per day, the number of trips that might be
considered "short," such as under two miles, the amount of highway
miles the Test Vehicle has been driven, the amount of non-highway
miles the vehicle has been driven, and the ratio between the latter
two. Other criteria that can be utilized to segment the data
collected from the Test Vehicles further include those that can
relate to how "aggressive" the particular Test Vehicle has been
driven, such as torque, load, vehicle speed, engine revolutions per
minute, fuel economy, how often the driver coasted (that is, how
often the vehicle moved without the operator either causing the
vehicle to accelerate or decelerate through braking). The
segmentation of the data collected from the Test Vehicles to form
the Segments can be performed through a k-means cluster
algorithm.
[0070] The controller 26 can initially include Pre-established
Predictive Activation Model(s) and the Pre-established Predictive
Level Model(s) generated from each Segment but, as a default,
utilize only the Pre-established Predictive Activation Model(s) and
the Pre-established Predictive Level Model(s) for one particular
Segment for the activation/deactivation of the temperature altering
element 24 (and level control). Data can then be collected relating
to the Certain Identifiable Conditions while the vehicle 10 begins
operation for a certain period of time. This data can then be
compared to the Segments to determine to which of the Segments the
vehicle 10 is most similar. For example, one of the Segments might
be data from the subset of the Test Vehicles that were mainly
driven on highways and the vehicle 10 might be mainly driven on
highways as well. The Pre-established Predictive Activation
Model(s) and the Pre-established Predictive Level Model(s) derived
from that particular Segment can then be the Pre-established
Predictive Activation Model(s) and the Pre-established Predictive
Level Model(s) utilized by the controller 26 thereafter.
[0071] The Pre-established Predictive Activation Model(s) can be
formed pursuant to a classification and regression tree ("CART")
analysis of the data related to the Certain Identifiable Conditions
collected from the Test Vehicles en masse or Segmented (resulting
in Pre-established Predictive Activation Model(s) for each
Segment), as explained above. There are a variety of CART analyses
that can provide useful results, including the C.50 program
(Release 2.07 GPL Edition, available from www.rulequest.com), the
M5P classifier, as implemented in Weka (available from
http://weka.sourceforge.net/doc.stable/weka/classifiers/trees/M5P.ht-
ml), and the Random Tree classifier, as implemented in Weka
(available from
http://weka.sourceforge.net/doc.dev/weka/classifiers/trees/RandomTre-
e.html) There are other CART analyses available and this in not
meant to be an exhaustive list.
[0072] An example Pre-established Predictive Activation Model for
heating formed pursuant to the C.50 program CART analysis is set
forth below. This example Pre-established Predictive Activation
Model sets forth the rules of the activation/deactivation of
temperature altering element 24 to impart heating to the first
seating assembly 14 as a function of data relating to the Certain
Identifiable Conditions.
TABLE-US-00001 AirAmb_Te_Actl > 12.17466:
:...Front_Rt_Temp_Setpt <= 154.9836: 0 (288) :
Front_Rt_Temp_Setpt > 154.9836: 1 (18/1) AirAmb_Te_Actl <=
12.17466: :...isMorning <= 0: 0 (120) isMorning > 0:
:...turnOnHeat3 <= 0: :...tempDiff <= 3.670543: 0 (112) :
tempDiff > 3.670543: 1 (9/1) turnOnHeat3 > 0:
:...Front_Left_Temp_Setpt > 152: 0 (21) Front_Left_Temp_Setpt
<= 152: :...AirAmb_Te_Actl <= 5.594171:
:...AirAmb_Te_ActlFilt <= -2.632576: 1 (6) : AirAmb_Te_ActllFilt
> -2.632576: 0 (45) AirAmb_Te_Actl > 5.594171: :...InCarTemp
> 26.7017: 1 (25) InCarTemp <= 26.7017: :...InCarTemp <=
24.46211: :...InCarTemp <= 18.35714: 0 (7/1) : InCarTemp >
18.35714: 1 (44/3) InCarTemp > 24.46211: :...AirAmb_Te_ActlFilt
<= 5.649194: 1 (10/2) AirAmb_Te_ActlFilt > 5.649194: 0
(23)
[0073] Those skilled in the art will understand how to decipher the
above Pre-Established Predicative Activation Model. Each line
includes an identifier related to a specific Certain Identifiable
Condition. For example, the first line
"AirAmb_Te_Actl>12.17466:" includes the identifier
"AirAmb_Te_Actl," which as set forth above means ambient
temperature. Each line includes a value related to the preceding
Certain Identifiable Condition. For example, the first line
""AirAmb_Te_Actl>12.17466:" includes the value "12.17466," which
means 12.17466 degrees Celsius. Each line includes a conditional
statement. For example, the first line
"AirAmb_Te_Actl>12.17466:" can be read to mean "if the ambient
temperature is greater than 12.17466 and." The reading would then
proceed to the second and third lines, which are indented and
otherwise identified as subservient to the first line. The second
line includes an identifier and value as before and further
includes a conclusion denoted by "0" following the colon ":". The
"0" signifies deactivation/non-activation of the temperature
altering element 24 to impart heating. In contrast, the third line
includes ":1" signifying activation of the temperature altering
element 24 to impart heating. (The values for front passenger side
temperature set point ("Front_Rt_Temp_Setpt") and front operator
side temperature set point ("Front_Left_Temp_Setpt") used herein
are without units, with a range between 119 and 171. That range
linearly correlates with 60 degrees F. and 85 degrees F.,
respectively. Thus, the value in the second line
"Front_Rt_Temp_Setpt<=154.9836" would roughly equate to 77.3
degrees Fahrenheit.) Therefore, the first, second, and third lines
together
TABLE-US-00002 AirAmb_Te_Actl > 12.17466:
:...Front_Rt_Temp_Setpt <= 154.9836: 0 (288) :
Front_Rt_Temp_Setpt > 154.9836: 1 (18/1)
can be read as: If the ambient temperature is greater than 12.17466
degrees Celsius and the front passenger side set point temperature
is less than or equal to 154.9836 (77.3 degrees Fahrenheit), then
the temperature altering element 24 is not activated to impart
heating (or deactivated if it is already imparting heat); but if
the ambient temperature is greater than 12.17466 degrees Celsius
and the front passenger side set point temperature is greater than
154.9836 (77.3 degrees Fahrenheit), then the temperature altering
element 24 is activated to impart heat.
[0074] The above example is a relatively simple Pre-Established
Predicative Activation Model for heating, because the
Pre-Established Predicative Activation Model established rules that
are a function of only several of the Certain Identifiable
Conditions, namely the ambient temperature ("AirAmb_Te_Actl" and
"AirAmb_Te_ActlFilt"), the front passenger side temperature set
point ("Front_Rt_Temp_Setpt"), the hour of the day segmented into
whether it is morning ("isMorning"), the in-vehicle temperature
("InCarTemp"), the temperature differential between the ambient
temperature and the in-vehicle temperature ("tempDiff"), whether
the occupant has requested the vehicle to heat the interior with
high blower speed ("turnOnHeat3"), and the front operator side
temperature set point ("Front_Left_Temp_Setpt").
[0075] More specifically, referring now to FIG. 5, at step 60, the
controller 26 determines whether the ambient temperature is greater
than 12.17466 degrees Celsius, or less than or equal to 12.17466
degrees Celsius. If the controller 26 determines that the ambient
temperature is greater than 12.17466 degrees Celsius
("AirAmb_Te_Actl>12.17466"), then, at step 62, the controller 26
determines whether the front passenger side temperature set point
("Front_Rt_Temp_Setpt") is greater than a certain temperature
("Front_Rt_Temp_Setpt>154.9836"), or less than or equal to the
certain temperature ("Front_Rt_Temp_Setpt<=154.9836"). If the
controller 26 determines that the front passenger side temperature
set point ("Front_Rt_Temp_Setpt") is greater than a certain
temperature ("Front_Rt_Temp_Setpt>154.9836"), then at step 64,
the controller 26 activates the temperature altering element 24 to
impart heat. In contrast, if the controller 26 determines that the
front passenger side temperature set point ("Front_Rt_Temp_Setpt")
is less than or equal to the certain temperature
("Front_Rt_Temp_Setpt<=154.9836"), then at step 66, the
controller 26 does not activate the temperature altering element 24
to impart heat or, if the controller 26 had already activated the
temperature altering element 24 to impart heat, deactivates the
temperature altering element 24. In other words, when the ambient
temperature is greater than the certain temperature
("AirAmb_Te_Actl>12.17466"), the Pre-established Predictive
Model, at steps 62 and 64, would initially automatically activate
the temperature altering element 24 as a function of the front
passenger side temperature set point ("Front_Rt_Temp_Setpt").
[0076] If instead the controller 26 determines at step 60 that the
ambient temperature is less than or equal to the certain
temperature ("AirAmb_Te_Actl<=12.17466"), the controller 26 then
first determines, at step 68, the hour of the day segmented into
whether it is morning ("isMorning"). At step 68, if the controller
26 determines that it is not a morning hour ("isMorning<=0"),
then the controller 26, at step 70, does not activate the
temperature altering element 24 to impart heat or, if the
controller 26 had already activated the temperature altering
element 24 to impart heat, deactivates the temperature altering
element 24. In contrast, at step 68, if the controller 26
determines that it is a morning hour ("isMorning>0"), then the
controller 26 proceeds to step 72, where the controller 26
determines whether the occupant has requested the vehicle 10 to
heat the interior 12 with high blower speed ("turnOnHeat3"). If, at
step 72, the controller 26 determines that the occupant has not
requested the vehicle 10 to heat the interior 12 with high blower
speed ("turnOnHeat3<=0"), then the controller 26 determines, at
step 74, whether the temperature differential between the ambient
temperature and the in-vehicle 10 temperature ("tempDiff") is
greater or less than a certain amount. If, at step 74, the
controller 26 determines that the temperature differential between
the ambient temperature and the in-vehicle 10 temperature is less
than or equal to a certain amount ("tempDiff<=3.670543") (3.67
degrees Celsius), then the controller 26, at step 76, does not
activate the temperature altering element 24 to produce heat or, if
the controller 26 had already activated the temperature altering
element 24 to produce heat, deactivates the temperature altering
element 24. However, if, at step 74, the controller 26 determines
that the temperature differential between the ambient temperature
and the in-vehicle 10 temperature is greater than the certain
amount ("tempDiff>3.670543"), then the controller 26, at step
78, activates the temperature altering element 24 to produce
heat.
[0077] If, at step 72, the controller 26 determines that the
occupant has requested the vehicle 10 to heat the interior 12 with
high blower speed ("turnOnHeat3>0"), then the controller 26
determines, at step 80, whether the front operator side temperature
set point ("Front_Left_Temp_Setpt") is greater or less than a
certain amount. If, at step 80, the controller 26 determines that
the front operator side temperature set point is greater than a
certain temperature ("Front_Left_Temp_Setpt>152"), then the
controller 26, at step 82, does not activate the temperature
altering element 24 to produce heat or, if the controller 26 had
already activated the temperature altering element 24 to produce
heat, deactivates the temperature altering element 24. However, if
the controller 26, at step 80, determines that the front operator
side temperature set point is less than or equal to the certain
temperature ("Front_Left_Temp_Setpt<=152"), then the controller
26 proceeds to step 84. At step 84, the controller 26 determines
whether the ambient temperature ("AirAmb_Te_Actl") is greater or
less than a certain temperature. If, at step 84, the controller 26
determines that the ambient temperature is less than or equal to a
certain temperature ("AirAmb_Te_Actl<=5.594171"), then the
controller 26 proceeds to step 86. At step 86, the controller 26
again determines whether the ambient temperature
("AirAmb_Te_ActlFilt") is greater or less than a certain
temperature. If the controller 26 determines, at step 86, that the
ambient temperature is less than or equal to the certain
temperature ("AirAmb_Te_ActlFilt<=-2.632576"), then the
controller 26, at step 88, activates the temperature altering
element 24 to produce heat. However, if the controller 26
determines at step 86 that the ambient temperature is greater than
the certain temperature ("AirAmb_Te_ActlFilt>-2.632576"), then
the controller 26, at step 90, does not activate the temperature
altering element 24 to produce heat or, if the controller 26 had
already activated the temperature altering element 24 to produce
heat, deactivates the temperature altering element 24.
[0078] Returning back to step 84, if the controller 26 determines
that the ambient temperature is greater than the certain
temperature ("AirAmb_Te_Actl>5.594171"), then the controller 26
proceeds to step 92. At step 92, the controller 26 determines
whether the in-vehicle 10 temperature ("InCarTemp") is greater or
less than a certain temperature. If the controller 26 determines at
step 92 that the in-vehicle 10 temperature is greater than the
certain temperature ("InCarTemp>26.7017"), then the controller
26, at step 94, activates the temperature altering element 24 to
impart heat. However, if the controller 26 determines at step 92
that the in-vehicle 10 temperature is less than or equal to the
certain temperature ("InCarTemp<=26.7017"), then the controller
26 proceeds to step 96 to again determine whether the in-vehicle 10
temperature ("InCarTemp") is greater or less than a certain
temperature. At step 96, if the controller 26 determines that the
in-vehicle 10 temperature ("InCarTemp") is less than or equal to a
certain temperature ("InCarTemp<=24.46211"), then the controller
26 proceeds to step 98. At step 98, the controller 26 again
determines whether the in-vehicle 10 temperature ("InCarTemp") is
greater or less than a certain temperature. At step 98, if the
controller 26 determines than that the in-vehicle 10 temperature is
less than or equal to a certain temperature
("InCarTemp<=18.35714"), then the controller 26, at step 100,
does not activate the temperature altering element 24 to produce
heat or, if the controller 26 had already activated the temperature
altering element 24 to produce heat, deactivates the temperature
altering element 24. However, at step 98, if the controller 26
determines that the in-vehicle 10 temperature is greater than the
certain temperature ("InCarTemp>18.35714"), then the controller
26, at step 102, activates the temperature altering element 24 to
impart heat. Returning back to step 96, if the controller 26
determines that the in-vehicle 10 temperature is greater than the
certain temperature ("InCarTemp>24.46211"), then the controller
26 proceeds to step 104. At step 104, the controller 26 determines
whether the ambient temperature ("AirAmb_Te_ActlFilt") is greater
or less than a certain temperature. At step 104, if the controller
26 determines that the ambient temperature is less then or equal to
a certain temperature ("AirAmb_Te_ActlFilt<=5.649194"), then the
controller 26 proceeds to step 106 and activates the temperature
altering element 24 to impart heat. However, at step 104, if the
controller 26 determines that the ambient temperature is greater
than the certain temperature ("AirAmb_Te_ActlFilt>5.649194"),
then the controller 26 proceeds to step 108 and does not activate
the temperature altering element 24 to produce heat or, if the
controller 26 had already activated the temperature altering
element 24 to produce heat, deactivates the temperature altering
element.
[0079] Note that, according to the rules of the Pre-established
Predictive Activation Model formed pursuant to this CART analysis,
when the ambient temperature is determined to be less than the
certain temperature ("AirAmb_Te_Actl<=12.17466"), the
Pre-established Predictive Model would initially automatically
activate the temperature altering element 24 first as a function of
the time of day (whether it is a morning hour or not)
("isMorning"). Even this relatively simple Pre-established
Predictive Activation Model (for heating) demonstrates an advantage
of such a model. Pursuant to the rule of the model below, although
the ambient temperature might be considered cold enough ("less than
or equal to 21.17466 degrees Celsius) to assume that an occupant of
the first seating assembly 14 would want the temperature altering
element 24 to impart heat, the rule of the Pre-established
Predictive Activation Model does not activate/deactivates the
temperature altering element 24 if the hour of the day is not
considered a morning hour ("isMorning<=0:0"), the last "0"
signifying not activation/deactivation.
TABLE-US-00003 AirAmb_Te_Actl <= 12.17466: :...isMorning <=
0: 0 (120)
[0080] An automatic control system based only on ambient
temperature might automatically activate the temperature altering
element 24 to impart heat against the desires of the occupant,
resulting in disuse of the automatic control system. The
Pre-established Predictive Activation Model of this disclosure,
made via a CART analysis, identifies and forms rules to cover such
potentially counter-intuitive circumstances.
[0081] Another example Pre-established Predictive Activation Model
for heating formed pursuant to a C.50 program CART analysis of the
data taken from the Test Vehicles relating to the Certain
Identifiable Conditions is set forth below. This Pre-established
Predictive Activation Model for heating set forth the rules
governing when and whether the controller 26 activates/deactivates
the temperature altering element 24 to impart heat as a function of
input data relating to the Certain Identifiable Conditions in
reference to vehicle 10. The example Pre-established Predictive
Activation Model for heating is:
TABLE-US-00004 Smart_Wiper_Motor_Stat > 0: 0 (134)
Smart_Wiper_Motor_Stat <= 0: :...AC_Request <= 1.358025: 0
(167/3) AC_Request > 1.358025: :...Front_Rt_Temp_Setpt > 148:
:...Front_Rt_Temp_Setpt > 154.9836: 1 (14) : Front_Rt_Temp_Setpt
<= 154.9836: : :...AirAmb_Te_ActlFilt > 7.580769: 0 (73) :
AirAmb_Te_ActlFilt <= 7.580769: : :...AirAmb_Te_ActlFilt <=
-2.632576: 1 (14) : AirAmb_Te_ActlFilt > -2.632576: :
:...Front_Rear_Blower_Req <= 20.3375: 0 (27) :
Front_Rear_Blower_Req > 20.3375: : :...AirAmb_Te_ActlFilt <=
5.283582: 0 (19) : AirAmb_Te_ActlFilt > 5.283582: 1 (31)
Front_Rt_Temp_Setpt <= 148: :...Front_Left_Temp_Setpt > 150:
0 (74) Front_Left_Temp_Setpt <= 150: :...AirAmb_Te_Actl >
12.2037: 0 (48) AirAmb_Te_Actl <= 12.2037: :...AirAmb_Te_Actl
<= 6.929124: :...Veh_V_ActlEng > 19.2492: 0 (51) :
Veh_V_ActlEng <= 19.2492: : :...EngAout_N_Actl <= 893.8228: 0
(4) : EngAout_N_Actl > 893.8228: 1 (3) AirAmb_Te_Actl >
6.929124: :...InCarTemp > 24.47753: :...AirAmb_Te_ActlFilt <=
6.353571: 1 (2) : AirAmb_Te_ActlFilt > 6.353571: 0 (13)
InCarTemp <= 24.47753: :...Veh_V_ActlEng > 29.94641: 1 (45/9)
Veh_V_ActlEng <= 29.94641: :...Smart_Wiper_Motor_Stat_UB <=
0.9605263: 1 (3) Smart_Wiper_Motor_Stat_UB > 0.9605263: 0
(6)
[0082] The rules of this example Pre-established Predictive
Activation Model for heating is hereinafter further explained, with
the aid of FIGS. 6A and 6B. The controller 26 at step 110
determines whether automatic windshield wipers are wiping because
of sensed rain ("Smart_Wiper_Motor_Stat"). At step 110, if the
controller 26 determines that the automatic windshield wipers are
wiping ("Smart_Wiper_Motor_Stat>0"), then the controller 26, at
step 112, does not activate the temperature altering element 24 to
produce heat or, if the controller 26 had already activated the
temperature altering element 24 to produce heat, deactivates the
temperature altering element 24. However, at step 110, if the
controller 26 determines that the automatic windshield wipers are
not wiping ("Smart_Wiper_Motor_Stat<=0"), then the controller 26
proceeds to step 114. At step 114, the controller 26 determines
whether the operator has activated an air conditioning function
("AC_Request"). At step 114, if the controller 26 determines that
the operator has activated an air conditioning function
("AC_Request<=1.358025"), then the controller 26 at step 116
does not activate the temperature altering element 24 to produce
heat or, if the controller 26 had already activated the temperature
altering element 24 to produce heat, deactivates the temperature
altering element 24. However, at step 114, if the controller 26
determines that the operator has not activated an air conditioning
function ("A_Request>1.358025"), then the controller 26 proceeds
to step 118. At step 118, the controller 26 determines whether the
front passenger side temperature set point ("Front_Rt_Temp_Setpt")
is greater or less than a certain temperature. At step 118, if the
controller 26 determines that the front passenger side temperature
set point is greater than a certain temperature
("Front_Rt_Temp_Setpt>148"), then the controller 26 proceeds to
step 120. At step 120, if the controller 26 determines that the
front passenger side temperature set point is greater than a
certain temperature ("Front_Rt_Temp_Setpt>154.9836"), then the
controller 26 activates the temperature altering element 24, at
step 122, to produce heat. However, at step 120, if the controller
26 determines that the front passenger side temperature set point
is less than or equal to the certain temperature
("Front_Rt_Temp_Setpt<=154.9836"), the controller 26 proceeds to
step 124. At step 124, the controller 26 determines whether the
ambient air temperature ("AirAmb_Te_ActlFilt") is greater than or
less than a certain temperature. At step 124, if the controller 26
determines that the ambient air temperature is greater than a
certain temperature ("AirAmb_Te_ActlFilt>7.580769"), then, at
step 126, the controller 26 does not activate the temperature
altering element 24 to produce heat or, if the controller 26 had
already activated the temperature altering element 24 to produce
heat, deactivates the temperature altering element 24. However, if
at step 124 the controller 26 determines that the ambient air
temperature is less than or equal to the certain temperature
("AirAmb_Te_ActlFilt<=7.580769"), then the controller 26
proceeds to step 128. At step 128, the controller 26 again
determines whether the ambient temperature ("AirAmb_Te_ActlFilt")
is greater or less than a certain temperature. At step 128, if the
controller 26 determines that the ambient temperature is less than
or equal to a certain temperature
("AirAmb_Te_ActlFilt<=-2.632576"), then the controller 26, at
step 130, activates the temperature altering element 24 to impart
heat. However, at step 128, if the controller 26 determines that
the ambient temperature is greater than the certain temperature
("AirAmb_Te_ActlFilt>-2.632576"), then the controller 26
proceeds to step 132. At step 132, the controller 26 determines
whether the vehicle's climate control system is blowing air greater
than or less than a certain level ("Front_Rear_Blower_Req"). At
step 132, if the controller 26 determines that the vehicle's 10
climate control system is blowing air at a level less than or equal
to a certain level ("Front_Rear_Blower_Req<=20.3375"), then the
controller 26, at step 134, does not activate the temperature
altering element 24 to produce heat or, if the controller 26 had
already activated the temperature altering element 24 to produce
heat, deactivates the temperature altering element 24. However, if
at step 132 the controller 26 determines that the vehicle's 10
climate control system is blowing air at a level greater than the
certain level ("Front_Rear_Blower_Req>20.3375"), then the
controller 26 proceeds to step 136. At step 136, the controller 26
determines whether the ambient temperature ("AirAmb_Te_ActlFilt")
is greater than or less than a certain temperature. At step 136, if
the controller 26 determines that the ambient temperature is less
than or equal to a certain temperature
("AirAmb_Te_ActlFilt<=5.283582"), then the controller 26, at
step 138, does not activate the temperature altering element 24 to
produce heat or, if the controller 26 had already activated the
temperature altering element 24 to produce heat, deactivates the
temperature altering element 24. However, at step 136, if the
controller 26 determines that the ambient temperature is greater
than the certain temperature ("AirAmb_Te_ActlFilt>5.283582"),
then the controller 26, at step 140, activates the temperature
altering element 24 to impart heat.
[0083] If at step 118 the controller 26 determines that the front
passenger side temperature set point is less than or equal to the
certain temperature ("Front_Rt_Temp_Setpt<=148"), then the
controller 26 proceeds to step 142. At step 142, the controller 26
determines whether the front operator side temperature set point
("Front_Left_Temp_Setpt") is greater or less than a certain
temperature. At step 142, if the controller 26 determines that the
front operator side temperature set point is greater than a certain
temperature ("Front_Left_Temp_Setpt>150"), then the controller
26, at step 144, does not activate the temperature altering element
24 to produce heat or, if the controller 26 had already activated
the temperature altering element 24 to produce heat, deactivates
the temperature altering element 24. However, at step 142, if the
controller 26 determines that the front operator side temperature
set point is less than or equal to the certain temperature
("Front_Left_Temp_Setpt<=150"), then the controller 26 proceeds
to step 146. At step 146, the controller 26 determines whether the
ambient temperature ("AirAmb_Te_Actl") is greater or less than a
certain temperature. At step 146, if the controller 26 determines
that the ambient temperature is greater than a certain temperature
("AirAmb_Te_Actl>12.2037"), then the controller 26, at step 147,
does not activate the temperature altering element 24 to produce
heat or, if the controller 26 had already activated the temperature
altering element 24 to produce heat, deactivates the temperature
altering element 24. However, at step 146, if the controller 26
determines that the ambient temperature is less than or equal to
the certain temperature ("AirAmb_Te_Actl<=12.2037"), then the
controller 26 proceeds to step 148. At step 148, the controller 26
again determines whether the ambient temperature ("AirAmb_Te_Actl")
is greater than or less than a certain temperature. At step 148, if
the controller 26 determines that the ambient temperature is less
than or equal to a certain temperature
("AirAmb_Te_Actl<=6.929124"), then the controller 26 proceeds to
step 150. At step 150, the controller 26 determines whether the
vehicle 10 speed is greater than or less than a certain value. At
step 150, if the controller 26 determines that the vehicle 10 speed
is greater than a certain value ("Veh_V_ActlEng>19.2492"), then
the controller 26, at step 152, does not activate the temperature
altering element 24 to produce heat or, if the controller 26 had
already activated the temperature altering element 24 to produce
heat, deactivates the temperature altering element 24. However, at
step 150, if the controller 26 determines that the vehicle 10 speed
is less than or equal to the certain value
("Veh_V_ActlEng<=19.2492"), then the controller 26 proceeds to
step 154. At step 154, the controller 26 determines whether engine
speed ("EngAout_N_Actl") is greater or less than a certain value.
At step 154, if the controller 26 determines that the engine speed
is less than or equal to a certain value
("EngAout_N_Actl<=893.8228"), then the controller 26, at step
156, does not activate the temperature altering element 24 to
produce heat or, if the controller 26 had already activated the
temperature altering element 24 to produce heat, deactivates the
temperature altering element 24. However, at step 154, if the
controller 26 determines that the engine speed is greater than the
certain value ("EngAout_N_Actl>893.8228"), then the controller
26, at step 158, activates the temperature altering element 24 to
impart heat. Referring back to step 148, if the controller 26
determines that the ambient temperature is greater than the certain
temperature ("AirAmb_Te_Actl>6.929124"), then the controller 26
proceeds to step 160. At step 160, the controller 26 determines
whether the in-vehicle 10 temperature ("InCarTemp") is greater than
or less than a certain temperature. At step 160, if the controller
26 determines that the in-vehicle 10 temperature is greater than a
certain value ("InCarTemp>24.47753"), then the controller 26
proceeds to step 162. At step 162, the controller 26 again
determines whether the ambient temperature ("AirAmb_Te_ActlFilt")
is greater or less than a certain temperature. At step 162, if the
controller 26 determines that the ambient temperature is less than
or equal to a certain temperature
("AirAmb_Te_ActlFilt<=6.353571), then the controller 26, at step
164, activates the temperature altering element 24 to impart heat.
However, if the controller 26 determines, at step 162, that the
ambient temperature is greater than the certain temperature
("AirAmb_Te_ActlFilt>6.353571"), then the controller 26, at step
166, does not activate the temperature altering element 24 to
produce heat or, if the controller 26 had already activated the
temperature altering element 24 to produce heat, deactivates the
temperature altering element 24. Referring back to step 160, if the
controller 26 determines that the in-vehicle 10 temperature is less
than or equal to the certain temperature
("InCarTemp<=24.47753"), then the controller 26 proceeds to step
168. At step 168, the controller 26 determines whether the vehicle
10 speed ("Veh_V_ActlEng") is greater than or less than a certain
speed. At step 168, if the controller 26 determines that the
vehicle 10 speed is greater than a certain speed
("Veh_V_ActlEng>29.94641"), then the controller 26, at step 170,
activates the temperature altering element to impart heat. However,
at step 168, if the controller 26 determines that the vehicle 10
speed is less than or equal to the certain speed
("Veh_V_ActlEng<=29.94641"), then the controller 26 proceeds to
step 172. At step 172, the controller 26 determines whether the
whether automatic windshield wipers are wiping because of sensed
rain ("Smart_Wiper_Motor_Stat_UB"). At step 172, if the controller
26 determines that the automatic windshield wipers are not wiping
because of sensed rain (Smart_Wiper_Motor_Stat_UB<=0.9605263),
then the controller 26, at step 174, activates the temperature
altering element 24 to impart heat. However, at step 172, if the
controller 26 determines that the automatic windshield wipers are
wiping because of sensed rain
("Smart_Wiper_Motor_Stat_UB>0.9605263"), then the controller 26,
at step 176, does not activate the temperature altering element 24
to produce heat or, if the controller 26 had already activated the
temperature altering element 24 to produce heat, deactivates the
temperature altering element 24.
[0084] An example Pre-established Predictive Activation Model for
cooling formed pursuant to a C.50 program CART analysis of the data
taken from the Test Vehicles relating to the Certain Identifiable
Conditions is set forth below. This Pre-established Predictive
Activation Model for cooling sets forth the rules governing when
and whether the controller 26 activates/deactivates the temperature
altering element 24 to impart cooling as a function of input data
relating to the Certain Identifiable Conditions in reference to
vehicle 10. The example Pre-established Predictive Activation Model
for cooling is:
TABLE-US-00005 InCarTemp <= 24.07895: 0 (793) InCarTemp >
24.07895: :...AirAmb_Te_ActlFilt <= 20.35959: 0 (75)
AirAmb_Te_ActlFilt > 20.35959: :...Front_Rear_Blower_Req <=
1.785714: :...Overriding_ModeReq > 0.4810127: 0 (14) :
Overriding_ModeReq <= 0.4810127: : :...AirAmb_Te_ActlFilt <=
21.76103: 1 (53/7) : AirAmb_Te_ActlFilt > 21.76103: :
:...InCarTemp <= 26.8012: : :...InCarTemp <= 24.73298: : :
:...AirAmb_Te_Actl_UB <= 0.9703704: 0 (6) : : :
AirAmb_Te_Actl_UB > 0.9703704: 1 (2) : : InCarTemp >
24.73298: : : :...Veh_V_ActlEng <= 67.21477: 1 (23) : :
Veh_V_ActlEng > 67.21477: 0 (4/1) : InCarTemp > 26.8012: :
:...AC_Request > 0.375: 0 (16) : AC_Request <= 0.375: :
:...AirAmb_Te_Actl <= 22.88243: 0 (15/1) : AirAmb_Te_Actl >
22.88243: : :...AirAmb_Te_ActlFilt <= 23.40385: 1 (7/1) :
AirAmb_Te_ActlFilt > 23.40385: 0 (15/4) Front_Rear_Blower_Req
> 1.785714: :...InCarTemp <= 25.14154: 0 (33) InCarTemp >
25.14154: :...EngAout_N_Actl > 1359.044: 0 (41/1) EngAout_N_Actl
<= 1359.044: :...AC_Request <= 0.8536586: 0 (8) AC_Request
> 0.8536586: :...Veh_V_ActlEng > 66.09882: 1 (4)
Veh_V_ActlEng <= 66.09882: :...Front_Rear_Blower_Req <=
3.236842: :...EngAout_N_Actl <= 1314.136: 0 (44/6) :
EngAout_N_Actl > 1314.136: 1 (4/1) Front_Rear_Blower_Req >
3.236842: :...Smart_Wiper_Motor_Stat_UB <= 0.8877551: 0 (5)
Smart_Wiper_Motor_Stat_UB > 0.8877551: 1 (7/1)
[0085] The rules of this example Pre-established Predictive
Activation Model for cooling is hereinafter further explained, with
the aid of FIGS. 7A and 7B. At step 178, the controller 26
initially determines whether the in-vehicle 10 temperature
("InCarTemp") is greater than or less than a certain temperature.
At step 178, if the controller 26 determines that the in-vehicle 10
temperature is less than or equal to a certain temperature
("InCarTemp<=24.07895"), then the controller 26, at step 180,
does not activate the temperature altering element 24 to provide
cooling or, if the controller 26 had already activated the
temperature altering element 24 to provide cooling, deactivates the
temperature altering element 24. However, at step 178, if the
controller 26 determines that the in-vehicle 10 temperature is
greater than the certain temperature ("InCarTemp>24.07895"),
then the controller 26 proceeds to step 182. At step 182, the
controller 26 determines whether the ambient temperature
("AirAmb_Te_ActlFilt") is greater or less than a certain
temperature. At step 182, if the controller 26 determines that the
ambient temperature is less than or equal to a certain temperature
("AirAmb_Te_ActlFilt<=20.35959"), then the controller 26, at
step 184, does not activate the temperature altering element 24 to
provide cooling or, if the controller 26 had already activated the
temperature altering element 24 to provide cooling, deactivates the
temperature altering element 24. However, at step 182 if the
controller 26 determines that the ambient temperature is greater
than the certain temperature ("AirAmb_Te_ActlFilt>20.35959"),
then the controller 26 proceeds to step 186. At step 186, the
controller 26 determines whether the level at which the vehicle's
10 climate control system is blowing air ("Front_Rear_Blower Req")
is greater or less than a certain level. At step 186, if the
controller 26 determines that the vehicle's 10 climate control
system is blowing air at a level less than or equal to a certain
level ("Front_Rear_Blower_Req<=1.785714"), then the controller
26 proceeds to step 188. At step 188, the controller 26 determines
whether the operator has activated a rear window defrost function
("Overriding_ModeReq"). At step 188, if the controller determines
that the operator has activated a rear window defrost function
("Overriding_ModeReq>0.4810127"), then the controller 26, at
step 190, activates the temperature altering element 24 to
providing cooling. However, at step 188, if the controller 26
determines that the operator has not activated a rear window
defrost function ("Overriding_ModeReq<=0.4810127"), then the
controller 26 proceeds to step 192. At step 192, the controller 26
determines whether the ambient temperature ("AirAmb_Te_ActlFilt")
is greater than or less than a certain temperature. At step 192, if
the controller 26 determines that the ambient temperature is less
than or equal to a certain temperature
("AirAmb_Te_ActlFilt<=21.76103"), then the controller 26, at
step 194, activates the temperature altering element 24 to
providing cooling. However, at step 192, if the controller 26
determines that the ambient temperature is greater than the certain
temperature ("AirAmb_Te_ActlFilt>21.76103"), then the controller
26 proceeds to step 196. At step 196, the controller 26 determines
whether the in-vehicle 10 temperature is greater than or less than
a certain temperature ("InCarTemp"). At step 196, if the in-vehicle
temperature is less than or equal to a certain temperature
("InCarTemp<=26.8012"), then the controller 26 proceeds to step
198. At step 198, the controller 26 again determines whether the
in-vehicle 10 temperature ("InCarTemp") is greater than or less
than a certain temperature. At step 198, if the controller 26
determines that the in-vehicle 10 temperature is less than or equal
to a certain temperature ("InCarTemp<=24.73298"), then the
controller 26 proceeds to step 200. At step 200, the controller 26
determines whether the ambient temperature ("AirAmb_Te_Actl_UB") is
above or below a certain temperature. At step 200, if the
controller 26 determines that the ambient temperature is less than
or equal to a certain temperature
("AirAmb_Te_Actl_UB<=0.9703704"), then the controller 26, at
step 202, does not activate the temperature altering element 24 to
provide cooling or, if the controller 26 had already activated the
temperature altering element 24 to provide cooling, deactivates the
temperature altering element 24. However, at step 200, if the
controller 26 determines that the ambient temperature is greater
than the certain temperature ("AirAmb_Te_Actl_UB>0.9703704"),
then the controller 26 at, step 204, activates the temperature
altering element 24 to providing cooling. Referring back to step
198, if the controller 26 determines that the in-vehicle 10
temperature is greater than the certain temperature
("InCarTemp>24.73298"), then the controller 26 proceeds to step
206. At step 206, the controller 26 determines whether the vehicle
10 speed ("Veh_V_ActlEng") is greater than or less than a certain
value. At step 206, if the controller 26 determines that the
vehicle 10 speed is less than or equal to a certain value
("Veh_V_ActlEng<=67.21477), then the controller 26, at step 208,
activates the temperature altering element 24 to providing cooling.
However, at step 206, if the controller 26 determines that the
vehicle 10 speed is greater than the certain value
("Veh_V_ActlEng>67.21477"), then the controller 26, at step 210,
does not activate the temperature altering element 24 to provide
cooling or, if the controller 26 had already activated the
temperature altering element 24 to provide cooling, deactivates the
temperature altering element 24.
[0086] Referring back to step 196, if the controller 26 determines
that the in-vehicle 10 temperature is greater than the certain
value ("InCarTemp>26.8012"), then the controller 26 proceeds to
step 214. At step 214, the controller 26 determines whether the
operator has activated an air conditioning function ("AC_Request").
At step 214, if the controller 26 determines that the operator has
activated an air conditioning function ("AC_Request>0.375"),
then the controller 26, at step 216, does not activate the
temperature altering element 24 to provide cooling or, if the
controller 26 had already activated the temperature altering
element 24 to provide cooling, deactivates the temperature altering
element 24. However, at step 214, if the controller 26 determines
that the operator has not activated an air conditioning function
("AC_Request<=0.375"), then the controller 26 proceeds to step
218. At step 218, the controller 26 determines whether the ambient
temperature is greater than or less than a certain temperature. At
step 218, if the controller 26 determines that the ambient
temperature is less than or equal to a certain temperature
("AirAmb_Te_Actl<=22.88243"), then the controller 26, at step
220, does not activate the temperature altering element 24 to
provide cooling or, if the controller 26 had already activated the
temperature altering element 24 to provide cooling, deactivates the
temperature altering element 24. However, at step 218, if the
controller 26 determines that the ambient temperature is greater
than the certain temperature ("AirAmb_Te_Actl>22.88243"), then
the controller 26 proceeds to step 222. At step 222, the controller
26 determines whether the ambient temperature
("AirAmb_Te_ActlFilt") is again greater than or less than a certain
temperature. At step 222, if the controller 26 determines that the
ambient temperature is less than or equal to a certain temperature
("AirAmb_Te_ActlFilt<=23.40385"), then the controller 26, at
step 224, activates the temperature altering element 24 to
providing cooling. However, at step 222, if the controller 26
determines that the ambient temperature is greater than the certain
temperature ("AirAmb_Te_ActlFilt>23.40385"), then the controller
26, at step 226, does not activate the temperature altering element
24 to provide cooling or, if the controller 26 had already
activated the temperature altering element 24 to provide cooling,
deactivates the temperature altering element 24.
[0087] Referring now to FIG. 7B, at step 186, if the controller 26
determines that the vehicle's 10 climate control system is blowing
air at a level greater than the certain level
("Front_Rear_Blower_Req>1.785714"), then the controller 26
proceeds to step 228. At step 228, the controller 26 determines
whether the in-vehicle 10 temperature ("InCarTemp") is greater than
or less than a certain temperature. At step 228, if the controller
26 determines that the in-vehicle 10 is less than or equal to a
certain temperature ("InCarTemp<=25.14154"), then the controller
26, at step 230, does not activate the temperature altering element
24 to provide cooling or, if the controller 26 had already
activated the temperature altering element 24 to provide cooling,
deactivates the temperature altering element 24. However, at step
228, if the controller 26 determines that the in-vehicle 10
temperature is greater than the certain temperature
("InCarTemp>25.14154"), then the controller 26 proceeds to step
232. At step 232, the controller 26 determines whether the engine
speed ("EngAout_N_Actl") is greater or less than a certain value.
At step 232, if the controller 26 determines that the engine speed
is greater than a certain value ("EngAout_N_Actl>1359.044"),
then the controller 26, at step 234, does not activate the
temperature altering element 24 to provide cooling or, if the
controller 26 had already activated the temperature altering
element 24 to provide cooling, deactivates the temperature altering
element 24. However, at step 232, if the controller 26 determines
that the engine speed is less than or equal to a certain value
("EngAout_N_Actl>=1359.044"), then the controller 26 proceeds to
step 236. At step 236, the controller 26 determines whether the
operator has activated an air conditioning function ("AC_Request").
At step 236, if the controller 26 determines that the operator has
not activated an air conditioning function
("AC_Request<=0.8536586"), then the controller 26, at step 238,
does not activate the temperature altering element 24 to provide
cooling or, if the controller 26 had already activated the
temperature altering element 24 to provide cooling, deactivates the
temperature altering element 24. However, at step 236, if the
controller 26 determines that the operator has activated an air
conditioning function ("AC_Request>0.8536586"), then the
controller 26 proceeds to step 240. At step 240, the controller 26
determines whether the vehicle 10 speed ("Veh_V_ActlEng") is
greater than or less than a certain value. At step 240, if the
controller 26 determines that the vehicle 10 speed is greater than
a certain value ("Veh_V_ActlEng>66.09882"), then the controller
26, at step 242, activates the temperature altering element 24 to
provide cooling. However, at step 240, if the controller 26
determines that the vehicle 10 speed is less than or equal to the
certain value ("Veh_V_ActlEng<=66.09882"), then the controller
26 proceeds to step 244. At step 244, the controller 26 determines
whether the level at which the vehicle's 10 climate control system
is blowing air ("Front_Rear_Blower_Req") is greater or less than a
certain level. At step 244, if the controller 26 determines that
the vehicle's 10 climate control system is blowing air at a level
that is less than or equal at a certain level
("Front_Rear_Blower_Req<=3.236842"), then the controller 26
proceeds to step 246. At step 246, the controller 26 determines
whether the engine speed ("EngAout_N_Actl") is greater or less than
a certain value. At step 246, if the controller 26 determines that
the engine speed is less than or equal to a certain value
("EngAout_N_Actl<=1314.136"), then the controller 26, at step
248, does not activate the temperature altering element 24 to
provide cooling or, if the controller 26 had already activated the
temperature altering element 24 to provide cooling, deactivates the
temperature altering element 24. However, at step 246, if the
controller 26 determines that the engine speed is greater than a
certain value ("EngAout_N_Actl>1314.136"), then the controller
26, at step 250, activates the temperature altering element 24 to
provide cooling. Referring back to step 244, if the controller 26
determines that the vehicle's 10 climate control system is blowing
air at a level that is greater than the certain level
("Front_Rear_Blower_Req>3.236842"), then the controller 26
proceeds to step 252. At step 252, the controller 26 determines the
whether automatic windshield wipers are wiping because of sensed
rain ("Smart_Wiper_Motor_Stat_UB"). At step 252, if the controller
26 determines that the automatic windshield wipers are not wiping
("Smart_Wiper_Motor_Stat_UB<=0.8877551"), then the controller
26, at step 254, does not activate the temperature altering element
24 to provide cooling or, if the controller 26 had already
activated the temperature altering element 24 to provide cooling,
deactivates the temperature altering element 24. However, at step
252, if the controller 26 determines that the automatic windshield
wipers are wiping because of sensed rain
("Smart_Wiper_Motor_Stat_UB>0.8877551"), then the controller 26,
at step 256, activates the temperature altering element 24 to
provide cooling.
[0088] Another example Pre-established Predictive Activation Model
for cooling formed pursuant to a C.50 program CART analysis of the
data taken from the Test Vehicles relating to the Certain
Identifiable Conditions is set forth below. This Pre-established
Predictive Activation Model for cooling set forth the rules
governing when and whether the controller 26 activates/deactivates
the temperature altering element 24 to impart cooling as a function
of input data relating to the Certain Identifiable Conditions in
reference to vehicle 10. The example Pre-established Predictive
Activation Model for cooling is:
TABLE-US-00006 AirAmb_Te_ActlFilt <= 24.625: :...InCarTemp >
26.61513: : :...AirAmb_Te_ActlFilt > 23.48864: 0 (82/22) : :
AirAmb_Te_ActlFilt <= 23.48864: : : :...Smart_Wiper_Motor_Stat
> 0.962963: : : :...EngAout_N_Actl > 1229.604: 0 (22) : :
:EngAout_N_Actl <= 1229.604: : : : :...Veh_V_ActlEng <=
39.26561: 0 (6) : : : Veh_V_ActlEng > 39.26561: 1 (6/1) : :
:Smart_Wiper_Motor_Stat <= 0.962963: : : ::...AirAmb_Te_Actl_UB
<= 0.9536424: 0 (278) : : AirAmb_Te_Actl_UB > 0.9536424: : :
:...Recirc_Request > 1.942857: 0 (162/5) : : Recirc_Request
<= 1.942857: : : :...Overriding_ModeReq <= 3.433735: 0 (5) :
: Overriding_ModeReq > 3.433735: 1 (4) : InCarTemp <=
26.61513: : :...InCarTemp <= 15.03421: :
:...Smart_Wiper_Motor_Stat <= 0.02469136: 0 (193/2) : :
Smart_Wiper_Motor_Stat > 0.02469136: : :
:...RrDefrost_HtdMirrState <= 0: 0 (26) : :
RrDefrost_HtdMirrState > 0: 1 (6) : InCarTemp > 15.03421: :
:...AirAmb_Te_ActlFilt <= 18.74609: 0 (5698) :
AirAmb_Te_ActlFilt > 18.74609: : :...Front_Rt_Temp_Setpt >
140: 0 (1575/7) : Front_Rt_Temp_Setpt <= 140: :
:...Recirc_Request <= 1.386667: : :...AC_Request <=
0.4716981: 0 (11) : : AC_Request > 0.4716981: 1 (8) :
Recirc_Request > 1.386667: : :...AirAmb_Te_ActlFilt >
20.61765: 0 (116) : AirAmb_Te_ActlFilt <= 20.61765: :
:...Veh_V_ActlEng > 78.98829: 0 (37) : Veh_V_ActlEng <=
78.98829: : :...AirAmb_Te_ActlFilt <= 20.09615: 0 (35/3) :
AirAmb_Te_ActlFilt > 20.09615: : :...AirAmb_Te_Actl_UB <=
0.9739583: 1 (8/1) : AAirAmb_Te_Actl_UB > 0.9739583: 0 (2)
AirAmb_Te_ActlFilt > 24.625: :...Overriding_ModeReq > 2: 1
(39) Overriding_ModeReq <= 2: :...Front_Rt_Temp_Setpt <=
137.1282: :...Front_Left_Temp_Setpt > 138.9091: 0 (6) :
Front_Left_Temp_Setpt <= 138.9091: : :...AC_Request >
1.865169: 1 (89/1) : AC_Request <= 1.865169: :
:...AirAmb_Te_Actl > 29.97377: 1 (8) : AirAmb_Te_Actl <=
29.97377: : :...AirAmb_Te_ActlFilt <= 26.47635: 1 (6/1) :
AirAmb_Te_ActlFilt > 26.47635: 0 (5) Front_Rt_Temp_Setpt >
137.1282: :...Veh_V_ActlEng_UB <= 0.5419847: 0 (65)
Veh_V_ActlEng_UB > 0.5419847: :...Front_Rt_Temp_Setpt >
145.4545: :...Front_Left_Temp_Setpt <= 141: 1 (3) :
Front_Left_Temp_Setpt > 141: 0 (155/2) Front_Rt_Temp_Setpt <=
145.4545: :...Smart_Wiper_Motor_Stat > 0: 0 (37/3)
Smart_Wiper_Motor_Stat <= 0: :...Front_Left_Temp_Setpt <=
141: :...Front_Left_Temp_Setpt <= 136.4545: :
:...Front_Left_Temp_Setpt > 135.9403: 0 (31/1) : :
Front_Left_Temp_Setpt <= 135.9403: : : :...EngAout_N_Actl <=
717.6779: 0 (2) : : EngAout_N_Actl > 717.6779: 1 (7) :
Front_Left_Temp_Setpt > 136.4545: : :...InCarTemp > 31.74133:
1 (43/9) : InCarTemp <= 31.74133: : :...AC_Request <=
1.969697: 1 (21/6) : AC_Request > 1.969697: : :...Veh_V_ActlEng
<= 3.155782: : :...AirAmb_Te_Actl <= 38.275: 0 (35/3) : :
AirAmb_Te_Actl > 38.275: 1 (6/2) : Veh_V_ActlEng > 3.155782:
: :...EngAout_N_Actl <= 787.2729: 1 (20/1) : EngAout_N_Actl >
787.2729: : :...AirAmb_Te_ActlFilt <= 27.65357: : :...InCarTemp
<= 27.5: 0 (98/25) : : InCarTemp > 27.5: [S1] :
AirAmb_Te_ActlFilt > 27.65357: [S2] Front_Left_Temp_Setpt >
141: :...AC_Request <= 1.962963: 0 (58/4) AC_Request >
1.962963: :...InCarTemp > 27.98413: :...Front_Rt_Temp_Setpt >
143.5667: ::...AirAmb_Te_ActlFilt <= 27.77917: 0 (46/6) : :
AirAmb_Te_ActlFilt > 27.77917: : : :...EngAout_N_Actl <=
1985.537: 0 (56/22) : : EngAout_N_Actl > 1985.537: 1 (11) :
Front_Rt_Temp_Setpt <= 143.5667: : :...AirAmb_Te_Actl >
29.28607: 0 (15/1) : AirAmb_Te_Actl <= 29.28607: [S3] :InCarTemp
<= 27.98413: :...AirAmb_Te_ActlFilt <= 25.1306:
:...AirAmb_Te_Actl > 27.47011: 1 (23) : AirAmb_Te_Actl <=
27.47011: : :...AirAmb_Te_ActlFilt > 25.10547: 1 (4) :
AirAmb_Te_ActlFilt <= 25.10547: : :...InCarTemp <= 26.84985:
0 (48/5) : InCarTemp > 26.84985: 1 (6/1) AirAmb_Te_ActlFilt >
25.1306: :...Front_Rt_Temp_Setpt <= 143.1868:
:...Front_Left_Temp_Setpt > 142.08: 0 (12) :
Front_Left_Temp_Setpt <= 142.08: : :...Front_Rt_Temp_Setpt <=
140.5128: [S4] : Front_Rt_Temp_Setpt > 140.5128: [S5]
Front_Rt_Temp_Setpt > 143.1868: :...InCarTemp <= 24.00275:
:...InCarTemp <= 21.79952: 0 (7) : InCarTemp > 21.79952: [S6]
InCarTemp > 24.00275: :...AirAmb_Te_Actl > 30.30851: 0 (69/2)
AirAmb_Te_Actl <= 30.30851: :...InCarTemp <= 25.34836: 0
(80/10) InCarTemp > 25.34836: [S7] SubTree [S1]
Front_Rt_Temp_Setpt > 140.2687: 1 (17/1) Front_Rt_Temp_Setpt
<= 140.2687: :...EngAout_N_Actl <= 1844.128: 0 (17/4)
EngAout_N_Actl > 1844.128: 1 (6) SubTree [S2] AirAmb_Te_ActlFilt
> 33.2: 0 (14/1) AirAmb_Te_ActlFilt <= 33.2: :...InCarTemp
<= 27.95664: 1 (132/32) InCarTemp > 27.95664:
:...Front_Rt_Temp_Setpt <= 143: 0 (44/12) Front_Rt_Temp_Setpt
> 143: :...Smart_Wiper_Motor_Stat_UB <= 0.8817204: 0 (2)
Smart_Wiper_Motor_Stat_UB > 0.8817204: 1 (7) SubTree [S3]
Smart_Wiper_Motor_Stat_UB > 0.9821429: 1 (37/2)
Smart_Wiper_Motor_Stat_UB <= 0.9821429: :...AirAmb_Te_ActlFilt
<= 25.80303: 1 (6) AirAmb_Te_ActlFilt > 25.80303:
:...AirAmb_Te_ActlFilt <= 28.03788: 0 (5) AirAmb_Te_ActlFilt
> 28.03788: 1 (2) SubTree [S4] AirAmb_Te_ActlFilt <= 27.1194:
0 (8) AirAmb_Te_ActlFilt > 27.1194: 1 (4) SubTree [S5]
Front_Rear_Blower_Req <= 7: 1 (7) Front_Rear_Blower_Req > 7:
0 (181/27) SubTree [S6] Front_Left_Temp_Setpt <= 143.5455: 1
(38/6) Front_Left_Temp_Setpt > 143.5455: 0 (4) SubTree [S7]
Front_Left_Temp_Setpt <= 143.2987: :...EngAout_N_Actl <=
1797.524: : :...EngAout_N_Actl > 917.1869: 0 (40/2) : :
EngAout_N_Actl <= 917.1869: : : :...AirAmb_Te_Actl_UB <=
0.982906: 1 (4) : : AirAmb_Te_Actl_UB > 0.982906: 0 (2) :
EngAout_N_Actl > 1797.524: : :...AirAmb_Te_Actl <= 26.82122:
0 (2) : AirAmb_Te_Actl > 26.82122: : :...InCarTemp <=
27.47801: 1 (8) : InCarTemp > 27.47801: 0 (2)
Front_Left_Temp_Setpt > 143.2987: :...AirAmb_Te_Actl <=
27.26608: 0 :...Smart_Wiper_Motor_Stat_UB <= 0.8627451: (4) :
Smart_Wiper_Motor_Stat_UB > 0.8627451: 1 (56/23) AirAmb_Te_Actl
> 27.26608: :...AirAmb_Te_Actl <= 28.83702: 0 (48/2)
AirAmb_Te_Actl > 28.83702: :...EngAout_N_Actl <= 1421.499:
:...AirAmb_Te_Actl <= 29.78175: 1 (13) : AirAmb_Te_Actl >
29.78175: 0 (4/1) EngAout_N_Actl > 1421.499:
:...AirAmb_Te_ActlFilt <= 29.48828: 0 (9) AirAmb_Te_ActlFilt
> 29.48828: 1 (3)
[0089] The Pre-established Predictive Activation Model for cooling
can be interpreted in the same manner as those preceding it. A
value of "0" after the value of the Certain Identifiable
Condition--for example, the "0" in "AirAmb_Te_ActlFilt>23.48864:
0 (82/22)"--identifies the controller 26 not activating the
temperature altering element 24 to provide cooling or, if the
controller 26 had already activated the temperature altering
element 24 to provide cooling, deactivating the temperature
altering element 24. Similarly, a value of "1" after the value of
the Certain Identifiable Condition--for example, the "1" in
"Overriding_ModeReq>3.433735: 1"--identifies the controller 26
activating the temperature altering element 24 to provide cooling.
References to "SubTree" note a continuation of the tree from a
reference point. For example, the "[S7]" in "InCarTemp>25.34836:
[S7]" refers to "SubTree [S7]" and the tree continues as if the
"SubTree" were incorporated by reference.
[0090] The Pre-established Predictive Level Model(s), which
establishes rules governs the level of temperature altering of the
temperature altering element 24, can be formed pursuant to a neural
net analysis or a multilayer perceptron classifier analysis of
input data, relating to the Certain Identifiable Conditions,
collected from the Test Vehicles as a whole or segmented, as
explained above. There are a variety of analyses that can provide
useful results, including the R (Version 3.2.5) statistic
programming software and the MultilayerPerceptron classifier
through Weka (available at
http://weka.sourceforge.net/doc.stable/weka/classifiers/functions/Multila-
yerPerceptron.html). There are other analyses available and this is
not meant to be an exhaustive list. The rules of the
Pre-established Predictive Level Model(s) then govern the level,
via the controller 26, at which the temperature altering element 24
alters temperature within the first seating assembly 14 as a
function of input data to the controller 26 relating to the Certain
Identifiable Conditions present in vehicle 10.
[0091] The method can further comprise automatically deactivating
the temperature altering element 24 pursuant to the Pre-established
Predictive Activation Model(s), after initially automatically
activating the temperature altering element 24 pursuant to the
Pre-established Predictive Activation Model(s), if the collected
data relating to the Certain Identifiable Conditions collected
after initially automatically activating the temperature altering
element 24 satisfy the rules of the Pre-established Predictive
Activation Model for deactivation of the temperature altering
element 24. For example, using the Pre-established Predictive
Activation Model for heating formed pursuant to the C.50 program
set forth above beginning with "AirAmb_Te_Actl>12.17466," the
controller 26 would initially automatically activate the
temperature altering element 24 to impart heat if the ambient
temperature was greater than 12.17466 degrees Celsius
("AirAmb_Te_Actl>12.17466"), and the front passenger side
temperature set point is greater than 154.9836 (i.e., approximately
77.3 degrees Fahrenheit) ("Front_Rt_Temp_Setpt>154.9836: 1").
However, if the controller 26 receives input that ambient
temperature is still greater than 12.17466 degrees Celsius
("AirAmb_Te_Actl>12.17466") but the front passenger side
temperature set point has been adjusted to less than or equal to
154.9836 (i.e., approximately 77.3 degrees Fahrenheit)
("Front_Rt_Temp_Setpt<=154.9836: 0"), then the controller 26
deactivates the temperature altering element 24.
[0092] The method of controlling the temperature altering element
24 can further comprise automatically reactivating the temperature
altering element 24 pursuant to the Pre-established Predictive
Activation Model(s), after automatically deactivating the
temperature altering element 24 pursuant to the Pre-established
Predictive Activation Model, if the collected data relating to the
Certain Identifiable Conditions collected after deactivating the
temperature altering element 24 again satisfy the rules for
activation pursuant to the Pre-established Predictive Activation
Model(s). The controller 26 can continue to collect data relative
to the Certain Identifiable Conditions while the occupant is
occupying the first seating assembly 14 and compare the collected
data to the rules of the Pre-established Predictive Activation
Model(s). If the collected data once again satisfy the rules of the
Pre-established Predictive Activation Model(s) to activate the
temperature altering element 24, then the controller 26 can
reactivate the temperature altering element 24 accordingly. For
example, again using the example Pre-established Predictive
Activation Model for heating set forth above beginning with
"AirAmb_Te_Actl>12.17466," the controller 26 automatically
activates the temperature altering element 24 to impart heat, when
the controller 26 receives input that the ambient temperature is
greater than the certain temperature ("AirAmb_Te_Actl>12.17466")
and the front passenger side temperature set point is greater than
154.9836 (i.e., approximately 77.3 degrees Fahrenheit)
("Front_Rt_Temp_Setpt>154.9836: 1"). As explained above, when
the controller 26 receives input that does not satisfy the rules
for activation, for example, the front passenger side temperature
set point has changed to be less than or equal to the certain
temperature ("Front_Rt_Temp_Setpt<=154.9836: 0), then the
controller 26 deactivates the temperature altering element 24.
However, if the controller 26 subsequently again receives input
data relating to the Certain Identifiable Conditions that satisfy
the rules of the Pre-established Predictive Activation Model for
activation of the temperature altering element 24, such as the
front passenger side temperature set point again being set to
greater than 154.9836 ("Front_Rt_Temp_Setpt>154.9836: 1") while
the ambient temperature is less than the certain temperature
("AirAmb_Te_Actl>12.17466"), then the controller 26 reactivates
the temperature altering element 24 to impart heat. In other words,
the controller 26 accepts input data relating to the Certain
Identifiable Conditions in "real-time," dynamically considers
whether the input data satisfies any of the rules of the
Pre-established Predictive Activation Model(s) for activation or
deactivation of the temperature altering element 24, and controls
the activation/deactivation of the temperature altering element 24
accordingly.
[0093] The method of controlling the temperature altering element
24 can further comprise the occupant of the first seating assembly
14 manually deactivating the temperature altering element 24 via
the user interface 32 (see FIG. 3A). For example, the occupant of
the first seating assembly 14 could press the button 36 labeled
"OFF" on the touch screen display 34 to manually deactivate the
temperature altering element 24 of the first seating assembly 14
that the controller 26 had previously activated automatically
pursuant to the Pre-established Predictive Activation Model(s). The
controller 26 accepts this interface as input and consequently
deactivates the temperature altering element 24.
[0094] The method of controlling the temperature altering element
24 can further comprise, upon the occupant of the first seating
assembly 14 manually deactivating the temperature altering element
24 via the user interface 32, recalibrating the Pre-established
Predictive Activation Model into a New Predictive Activation Model
accounting for the collected data relating to the Certain
Identifiable Conditions existing when the occupant manually
deactivated the temperature altering element 24 and thus
establishing new rules for activation and deactivation of the
temperature altering element 24. To do so, the controller 26 can be
pre-loaded with software to perform classification and regression
tree analyses, such as the mentioned C.50 program. The occupant's
manual deactivation of the temperature altering element 24 that had
been automatically activated by the controller 26 pursuant to the
Pre-established Predictive Activation Model constitutes the
occupant's rejection of the rule of the Pre-established Predictive
Activation Model (and therefore the Certain Identifiable Conditions
satisfying the rule) the controller 26 relied upon to automatically
activate the temperature altering element 24. For example, using
this rule of Pre-established Predictive Activation Model for
heating set forth above
TABLE-US-00007 AirAmb_Te_Actl <= 12.17466: :...isMorning <=
0: 0 (120) isMorning > 0: :...turnOnHeat3 <= 0: :...tempDiff
<= 3.670543: 0 (112) : tempDiff > 3.670543: 1 (9/1)
the controller 26 would automatically activate the temperature
altering element 24 to impart heat if the controller 26 receives
input that the ambient temperature is less than or equal to
12.17466 degrees Celsius ("AirAmb_Te_Actl<=12.17466"), the time
of the day is a morning hour ("isMorning>0"), the occupant has
not requested the vehicle 10 to heat the interior 12 with high
blower speed ("turnOnHeat3<=0"), and the temperature
differential between the ambient temperature and the in-vehicle 10
temperature is greater than 3.670543 degrees Celsius
("tempDiff>3.670543: 1"). However, if the controller 26
automatically activates the temperature altering element 24 to
impart heat, and the occupant rejects the activation by manually
deactivating the temperature altering element 24 via the user
interface 32, then the controller 26 recalibrates the
pre-established predictive model into a New Predictive Activation
Model, accounting for the data related to the Certain Identifiable
Conditions existing when the occupant manually deactivated the
temperature altering element 24. The New Predictive Activation
Model can weigh the occupant's decision heavily such that when the
Certain Identifiable Conditions that existed when the occupant
manually deactivated the temperature altering element 24 exist
again, the controller 26 would not activate the temperature
altering element 24 and would deactivate automatically the
temperature altering element 24 if the temperature altering element
24 was activated. In other words, the New Predictive Activation
Model can include a rule, as a function of those Certain
Identifiable Conditions, deactivating or not activating the
temperature altering element 24. Alternatively, the new predictive
model can weigh the data related to the Certain Identifiable
Conditions existing when the occupant manually deactivated the
temperature altering element 24 the same as the Test Vehicle data
from which the Pre-established Predictive Activation Model was
originally derived. In any case, the New Predictive Activation
Model will continue to utilize the data collected from the Test
Vehicles as well as the data collected from the vehicle 10 relating
to the Certain Identifiable Conditions existing when the occupant
manually deactivated the temperature altering element 24.
[0095] The method of controlling the temperature altering element
24 can further comprise the occupant manually activating the
temperature altering element 24 via the user interface 32. For
example, the occupant of the first seating assembly 14 could press
the button 44 labeled "ON" on the touch screen display 34 to
activate the temperature altering element 24 of the first seating
assembly 14. The controller 26 accepts this interface as input and
consequently activates the temperature altering element 24 that the
controller 26 either previously deactivated or did not activate
pursuant to the Pre-established Predictive Activation Model (or New
Predictive Activation Model).
[0096] The method of controlling the temperature altering element
24 can further comprise recalibrating the New Predictive Activation
Model into a Newer Predictive Activation Model accounting for the
collected data relative to the Certain Identifiable Conditions
existing when the occupant manually activated the temperature
altering element 24 and establishing new rules for activation
and/or deactivation of the temperature altering element 24, upon
the occupant manually activating the temperature altering element
24 via the user interface 32. The controller 26 records the data
relative to the Certain Identifiable Conditions existing when the
occupant manually activates the temperature altering element 24 and
prepares a Newer Predictive Activation Model with new rules for
activation using the data. Again, the Newer Predictive Activation
Model can weigh heavily the data relating to the Certain
Identifiable Conditions existing when the occupant manually
activated the temperature altering element 24 with a new rule such
that the controller 26 automatically activates the temperature
altering element 24 when those Certain Identifiable Conditions
again exist. Alternatively, the Newer Predictive Activation Model
can weigh the data relative to the Certain Identifiable Conditions
existing when the occupant manually activated the temperature
altering element 24 the same as the other data previously replied
upon to derive the Pre-established Predictive Activation Model. In
general, the controller 26 continues to refine the predictive
modeling (the Pre-established Predictive Activation Model(s) and
subsequent recalibrations thereof) by performing a new CART
analysis based on the data relative to the Certain Identifiable
Conditions whenever the occupant of the first seating assembly 14
manually activates or deactivates the temperature altering element
24. Eventually, the predictive modeling will be refined according
to the occupant's preferences and the occupant will no longer have
the need to manually activate or deactivate the temperature
altering element 24--the predictive modeling will activate or
deactivate the temperature altering element 24 automatically to
satisfy the occupant's preferences.
[0097] Refining the Pre-established Predictive Activation Model
into the New Predictive Activation Model, the Newer Predictive
Activation Model, and subsequent refinements thereof will identify
the preferences of the occupant, including situations when the
occupant desires the activation of the temperature altering element
24 for reasons other than in-vehicle 10 temperature or ambient
temperature. For example, the occupant may desire the temperature
altering element 24 to impart heat during the first several minutes
on a commute to work, for therapeutic reasons. As another example,
the occupant of the first seating assembly 14 may desire the
temperature altering element 24 to impart cooling during the spring
on weekend days (to ensure the occupant's comfort) when the front
passenger side set point temperature is above a certain temperature
(to ensure a passenger's comfort), as a compensation effect to
compensate for the blown heated air attempting to satisfy the front
passenger side set point temperature. A CART analysis of the
collected data relating to the Certain Identifiable Conditions will
learn this behavior and eventually automatically activate and
deactivate the temperature altering element 24 accordingly. The
CART analysis is thus a learning algorithm that provides a high
degree of accuracy because the Certain Identifiable Conditions are
considered across the entire history of the vehicle 10. Other
possible non-learning methods, such as those involving weighted
averages, will not be as accurate and will not account for
time/day/season dependent behavior.
[0098] The method of controlling the temperature altering element
24 can further comprise determining, by comparing the collected
data to the rules of Pre-established Predictive Level Model, which
level of the several different levels of temperature altering the
controller 26 will initially automatically set for the temperature
altering element 24 and initially automatically setting the
temperature altering element 24 to the determined level. In other
words, when the controller 26 determines, based on the
Pre-established Predictive Activation Model (or New Predictive
Activation Model or Newer Predictive Activation Model) to
automatically activate the temperature altering element 24, the
controller 26 additionally determines, based on the Pre-established
Predictive Level Model and the data relating to the Certain
Identifiable Conditions, which level at which to set the
temperature altering element 24 (e.g., low, medium, or high). While
the temperature altering element 24 remains activated, the
controller 26 dynamically compares the collected data to the rules
of the Pre-established Predictive Level Model and adjusts the level
of the temperature altering element 24 accordingly. If the rules of
the Pre-established Predictive Level Model, based on the collected
data after the activation of the temperature altering element 24,
dictates that the temperature level of the temperature altering
element 24 be changed, the controller 26 thus causes the
temperature altering element 24 to alter temperature according to
the level prescribed by the Pre-established Predictive Level
Model.
[0099] The method of controlling the temperature altering element
24 can further comprise the occupant of the first seating assembly
14 manually changing the level of temperature altering for the
temperature altering element 24 via the user interface 32. For
example, the controller 26, pursuant to the Pre-established
Predictive Level Model, could have initially set the temperature
altering element 24 to alter temperature at level 3 (HIGH) and the
occupant of the first seating assembly 14 could subsequently press
the button 42 labeled "LOW" on the touch screen display 34 to cause
the temperature altering element 24 to alter temperature at the
relatively lower level. The controller 26 accepts this interface as
input and consequently causes the temperature altering element 24
to alter temperature at this relatively low level.
[0100] The method of controlling the temperature altering element
24 can further comprise recalibrating the Pre-established
Predictive Level Model into a New Predictive Level Model accounting
for the collected data relative to the Certain Identifiable
Conditions existing when the occupant manually changed the level of
temperature altering and establishing new rules governing the level
of temperature altering for the temperature altering element 24
when the temperature altering element 24 is automatically
activated, upon the occupant manually changing the level of
temperature altering for the temperature altering element 24 via
the user interface 32. The controller 26 records the data relative
to the Certain Identifiable Conditions existing when the occupant
manually changed the level of temperature altering and prepares a
New Predictive Level Model accounting for these Certain
Identifiable Conditions. In general, the controller 26 continues to
refine the predictive modeling governing the level of temperature
altering by performing a new neural net analysis or a multilayer
perceptron classifier analysis including the collected data
relative to the Certain Identifiable Conditions whenever the
occupant of the first seating assembly 14 manually alters the level
of the temperature altering element 24. The multilayer perceptron
classifier analysis, like the CART analysis, is thus a learning
algorithm that provides a high degree of accuracy because the
Certain Identifiable Conditions are considered across the entire
history of the vehicle 10. Other possible non-learning methods,
such as those involving weighted averages, will not be as
accurate.
[0101] The method of controlling the temperature altering element
24 can further comprise, after the occupant manually changes the
level of temperature altering, automatically deactivating the
temperature altering element 24 and then automatically reactivating
the temperature altering element 24. When the controller 26
automatically reactivates the temperature altering element 24
pursuant to the Pre-established Predictive Activation Model (or
recalibrated version thereof), the method can further comprise
determining, by comparing the collected data to the New Predictive
Level Model, which level of the several different levels of
temperature altering the controller 26 will initially automatically
set for the temperature altering element 24 and automatically
setting the temperature altering element 24 to the determined
level. In other words, in a subsequent session of automatic
activation of the temperature altering element 24, the controller
26 utilizes the rules of the New Predictive Level Model to
determine at which level the temperature altering element 24 will
be set.
[0102] The method of controlling the temperature altering element
24 can further comprise removing the occupant from the first
seating assembly 14, occupying the first seating assembly 14 with a
second occupant, and recognizing that the second occupant is
different than the first occupant. The controller 26 can determine
that the second occupant different than the first occupant is
occupying first seating assembly 14 in various ways, such as by the
weight of the second occupant as measured by the first seating
assembly 14 compared to the weight of the first occupant.
Alternatively, the second occupant can instruct the controller 26
via the user interface 32 (such as by selecting a user profile
dedicated to the second occupant) that the second occupant rather
than the first occupant is occupying the first seating assembly
14.
[0103] The method of controlling the temperature altering element
24 can further comprise collecting data relative to the Certain
Identifiable Conditions while the second occupant is occupying the
first seating assembly 14 and determining, by comparing only the
data collected while the second occupant is occupying the first
seating assembly 14, and not the data collected while the first
occupant was occupying the first seating assembly 14, to the rules
of the Pre-established Predictive Activation Model(s), to determine
whether data collected satisfy the rules of the Pre-established
Predictive Activation Model(s) so as to initially automatically
activate the temperature altering element 24. In other words, the
controller 26 recognizes that the second occupant occupies the
first seating assembly 14 and begins anew with the Pre-established
Predictive Activation Model(s), rather than the Predictive
Activation Model recalibrated to account for the first occupant's
manual activations or deactivations of the temperature altering
element 24 (such as the New Predictive Activation Model(s) or
subsequent recalibrated version thereof). Therefore, only the
second occupant's manual activations and deactivations of the
temperature altering element 24 will cause recalibration of the
Pre-established Predictive Activation Model(s) into subsequent
predictive models. The method of controlling the temperature
altering element 24 can further comprise initially automatically
activating the temperature altering element 24 while the second
occupant is occupying the first seating assembly 14. In other
words, the controller 26, comparing the data collected relating to
the Certain Identifiable Conditions to the rules of the
Pre-established Predictive Activation Model(s), can subsequently
activate the temperature altering element 24 accordingly while the
second occupant is occupying the first seating assembly 14 to
impart heat or cooling as the data collected and the rules of the
Pre-established Predictive Activation Model(s) dictate.
[0104] The methods of automatically controlling the
activation/deactivation of the temperature altering element 24
pursuant to Pre-established Predictive Activation Model and the
level of temperature altering pursuant to the Pre-established
Predictive Level Model (and subsequent recalibrated iterations
thereof) provide advantages over other methods that control all
means of temperature control in a vehicle (such as blower level,
temperature set points, etc.). For example, the occupant of the
first seating assembly 14 may simply desire the controller 26 to
exercise automatic control of the temperature altering element 24
in the first seating assembly 14 but not automatic control over the
entire climate in the interior 12 of the vehicle 10.
[0105] It is to be understood that variations and modifications can
be made on the aforementioned structure without departing from the
concepts of the present invention, and further it is to be
understood that such concepts are intended to be covered by the
following claims unless these claims by their language expressly
state otherwise.
* * * * *
References